By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Barbara Jefford | Judi Dench | Mare Winningham | Sophie Kennedy Clarke | Steve Coogan
Country: france, united_kingdom, united_states
Year: 2013
Running time: 98
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2431286/combined
Thom says: ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so surprised at how much I loved this film but until the starting credits rolled I had completely forgotten that the great Stephen Frears was the director. Over the years he’s been responsible for numerous top-ranked films including MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE, PRICK UP YOUR EARS, THE GRIFTERS, DANGEROUS LIAISONS, SAMMY & ROSIE GET LAID, HERO, DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, & MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS, but also a lot of unsatisfying fare such as MARY REILLY, HIGH FIDELITY, THE QUEEN, THE HI-LO COUNTRY, LIAM, CHERI, TAMARA DREWE, & LAY THE FAVORITE, so my excitement was tempered. Then again Judi Dench’s vast acclaim as the fiercely non-plussed Philomena was a no-brainer.
“Always reliable Steve Coogan plays Martin Sixsmith a recently out-of-work, disgraced political journalist who is charmed into
following an human interest story that turns out to be far more than he bargained for. Philomena’s daughter has been looking for someone to hire to help her mother find her long, lost son. As a young, pregnant, shamed teenager she’s put in a wayward Catholic home for delinquent (read ‘knocked-up’ girls that sells the newborns and seals the records. He, at first, vociferously rejects the assignment but finally reluctantly agrees to help. Their quest leads them to America where a huge number of discoveries lead them both to a life-affirming renaissance of no small import both to them and the viewer. Artfully, beautifully done with a smart, witty script with lines that Dame Dench tosses off stupendous ease. This lady can act. The surprise of the
identity of the perpetrators of the tragedy of the story should have been self-evident but I was properly horrified. 5 cats”