Philomena
Composite Score: 84.63
Starring: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Mare Winningham, Barbara Jefford, Peter Hermann, Sean Mahon, Anna Maxwell Martin, Michelle Fairley, Wunmi Mosaku, and Amy McAllister
Director: Stephen Frears
Writer: Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
Genres: Biography, Comedy, Drama
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some strong language, thematic elements, and sexual references
Box Office: $100.13 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Philomena is the film adaptation of the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, a real-life story by British journalist Martin Sixsmith. The film stars Judi Dench in the titular role of Philomena Lee, an aging Irish woman whose son was taken from her and adopted out to an unknown family while she worked at an abbey fifty years prior and who continues searching for him even in her advanced age. Her co-star in this venture is Steve Coogan as the journalist Sixsmith, documenting and aiding in her search for her lost son, Anthony. The film’s real-life story manages to also offer takes on religion, homosexuality, and forgiveness as it works its way into the hearts of the audience. It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actress (Dench), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Philomena does not perfectly explore the depths of its thematic explorations, due in large part to its adherence to the truth of its story. While that adherence makes for a fascinating, emotional, and enjoyable film, it holds much of its themes back. Themes of religious trauma, atheism/agnosticism vs. faith, and even journalistic manipulation of facts end up taking a backseat to the characters of Philomena and Martin, toying with the audience’s expectations. On the one hand, a full-on condemnation of any of the many sides of the issues that the film broaches (aside from the forced separation of children from their mothers) would probably have come across as heavy-handed and lazy. At the same time, my own desire for justice brought against corrupt religious figures leaves me a bit disappointed (but still understanding and maybe even impressed) in the way that Philomena responded when facing down the nuns who left her with such a hurt in her life. I don’t think any of this tanks the film beyond recovery, and I believe that there is much more to celebrate than condemn about the film.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
A huge part of Philomena’s success as a film comes from the performance of Judi Dench as the titular heroine. She plays the simple Irish mother with a level of charm, unexpected wit, and range of emotion that you can’t help but fall in love with her (platonically) just as much as Coogan’s Sixsmith does. Her plight becomes your plight because you can see the pain that she has been caused in every expression and hear it in every word that she says. Her excitement becomes yours as you watch her finally getting to know the person that her son became thanks to an infectious energy radiating from her smile. Her sorrow brings you to tears as she struggles with the truths of her son’s life and her own past. And her catharsis leaves you with a satisfying ending as she offers unexplainable and unwarranted but totally in-character forgiveness to those who wronged her and her son throughout their lives at the film’s conclusion. It’s a beautiful character study that more than earned her an Oscar nomination.
The emotional impact of Philomena is improved by the performance of Dame Judi Dench who puts on display a full range of characterizations for her real-life counterpart, earning the film a much-deserved spot among the Greatest Films of All Time. Its themes might not be as fully fleshed out as some might prefer, but the story and the acting more than make up for that. It is currently streaming for free with ads on Vudu or available to rent on most other streaming services if you’d like to check it out soon.
