If the measure of a movie lies in its success in eliciting strong emotion, then this movie is definitely successful. For me, it evoked the full range of emotion—from empathy to rage to heartbreak and back. . In fact, I had to wait until my sobs had subsided before attempting to write this review. I was already a big fan of Dame Judy Dench, but this was a welcome introduction for me of her co-star Steve Coogan. He did an excellent job of portraying a recently fired political journalist who, in desperation, takes on a human interest story that he is emotionally ill-equipped to handle.
The story in question is that of an elderly Irish woman who has been searching for fifty years for the child taken from her and adopted when she was little more than a child herself. The two set off together in search of the child, now an adult. Their differences, he being a witty, clever, iconoclastic realist, and she, a humble and devout Irish Catholic, make for some lively, and at times, extremely humorous conversations which reveal the strengths and weaknesses of their respective worldviews.
I’ll remain silent about how the story ends so as not to spoil it for those who haven’t seen it and would like to. I will just say that the story explores the themes of corruption, exploitation, sexual shame and forgiveness, which makes for a powerful film. With the added elements of superb acting, great cinematography, and a well-written screenplay, this movie is one that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone and everyone. Enjoy.
Copyright © 2014 by Andrea L. Walker
All rights reserved. This article or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the writer
except for the use of brief quotations.
The story in question is that of an elderly Irish woman who has been searching for fifty years for the child taken from her and adopted when she was little more than a child herself. The two set off together in search of the child, now an adult. Their differences, he being a witty, clever, iconoclastic realist, and she, a humble and devout Irish Catholic, make for some lively, and at times, extremely humorous conversations which reveal the strengths and weaknesses of their respective worldviews.
I’ll remain silent about how the story ends so as not to spoil it for those who haven’t seen it and would like to. I will just say that the story explores the themes of corruption, exploitation, sexual shame and forgiveness, which makes for a powerful film. With the added elements of superb acting, great cinematography, and a well-written screenplay, this movie is one that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone and everyone. Enjoy.
Copyright © 2014 by Andrea L. Walker
All rights reserved. This article or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the writer
except for the use of brief quotations.
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