Philomena is undoubtedly a film and a story that pulls at our heartstrings. (Do hearts have strings? Seems I'm falling back into old fashioned rhetoric.) It's the story of great injustice, cruelty, that was doled out to young girls of 50+ years ago who had the misfortune in society's eyes to become pregnant out of wedlock. It's easy enough to say that this attitude is a byproduct of the Irish Catholic Church, but that would be like saying that antisemitism was German. It would be a misreading of both history and the facts. Thus, although the nuns and priests who were complicit here are not given a pass (you should have heard the quiet condemnatory outbursts from my fellow audience members) this is not a story of the Catholic Church vs. the more caring world, but rather a look back in time to a series of widely played events whose ramifications still echo today.
This is the story of one woman, Philomena, as portrayed in her old age by Judi Dench. She is a stoical, quiet, but yet lighthearted woman who has an undercurrent of great sadness. We begin the story with her finally telling her daughter about the son she had at age 18 who was taken from her and adopted away. She had never spent a day in the ensuing 47 years without thinking of him and at last admits that she desperately needs to seek him out, "I just want to know that he was loved." We follow along on her journey, driven along by her daughter catching the attention of a journalist, Martin Sixsmith, who is at loose ends and rather reluctantly agrees to help her in her search using all the considerable skills of a long professional career. This is a true story in that there really is a Philomena Lee, whose son, Anthony, was taken from her at age three by the same nuns who had been sheltering them, and using her for free labor. And there really is a Martin Sixsmith, the journalist who helped her. The story takes some flights of fancy, playing with the facts as I understand from interviews with Philomena Lee herself, to keep it watchable, but the underlying story elements are correct and the emotions are authentic.
But what makes this film so very watchable are the performances. Judi Dench once again proves that she is one the finest working actors of our age. Her performance is absolutely exquisite. I found myself almost holding my breath in a few of the emotion laden closeups of her face. Steve Coogan, as Sixsmith, is also very, very good. And very much worth mentioning is Sophie Kennedy Clark who plays Philomena as a young woman. But as I frequently find with a film which contains such stellar leading actors, the supporting actors also all do a very fine job. I even like the glorified extras who played the hotel staff.
Much effort has been made to assure that this film is entertaining. It has humor, twists and turns, and real drama. I don't think anyone will be leaving the theater with a happy little gait. However, I think I can promise you will be profoundly moved as well as thoroughly entertained.
This is the story of one woman, Philomena, as portrayed in her old age by Judi Dench. She is a stoical, quiet, but yet lighthearted woman who has an undercurrent of great sadness. We begin the story with her finally telling her daughter about the son she had at age 18 who was taken from her and adopted away. She had never spent a day in the ensuing 47 years without thinking of him and at last admits that she desperately needs to seek him out, "I just want to know that he was loved." We follow along on her journey, driven along by her daughter catching the attention of a journalist, Martin Sixsmith, who is at loose ends and rather reluctantly agrees to help her in her search using all the considerable skills of a long professional career. This is a true story in that there really is a Philomena Lee, whose son, Anthony, was taken from her at age three by the same nuns who had been sheltering them, and using her for free labor. And there really is a Martin Sixsmith, the journalist who helped her. The story takes some flights of fancy, playing with the facts as I understand from interviews with Philomena Lee herself, to keep it watchable, but the underlying story elements are correct and the emotions are authentic.
But what makes this film so very watchable are the performances. Judi Dench once again proves that she is one the finest working actors of our age. Her performance is absolutely exquisite. I found myself almost holding my breath in a few of the emotion laden closeups of her face. Steve Coogan, as Sixsmith, is also very, very good. And very much worth mentioning is Sophie Kennedy Clark who plays Philomena as a young woman. But as I frequently find with a film which contains such stellar leading actors, the supporting actors also all do a very fine job. I even like the glorified extras who played the hotel staff.
Much effort has been made to assure that this film is entertaining. It has humor, twists and turns, and real drama. I don't think anyone will be leaving the theater with a happy little gait. However, I think I can promise you will be profoundly moved as well as thoroughly entertained.