Director: Stephen Frears.
Starring: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Ruth McCabe, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Michelle Fairley.
Running Time: 98 minutes.
Synopsis: A world-weary political journalist picks up the story of a woman’s search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent.
Philomena is a road movie, a mystery, a buddy comedy and a tragedy which excels in every manner. There are many facets that come together to make this an exemplary film, but first and foremost is Judi Dench. It’s tempting to call her’s a powerhouse performance, but it’s not. It’s small, it’s human, and it’s heartbreaking. She may be considered a bit ‘Irish Mammie’, but only in the sense that anybody playing an elderly Irish Catholic lady will be. Far from delivering a cliché, she exudes warmth, humour and believability. Philomena’s story is tragic, almost unbelievable and would be easy to exploit. Instead, Dench, director Stephen Frears and Coogan (who produced and co-wrote the screenplay) have told a story that needed to be told and made it accessible and downright enjoyable.
Coogan himself is as funny as ever, but one cannot get too invested in his performance as journalist and writer of the book on which the film is based, Martin Sixsmith. Seeing Coogan play a journo (reputable or otherwise) cannot be watched out of the current political context, summoning thoughts of the Leveson Inquiry and giving the role a subtext that is a little distracting. However, Sixsmith clearly has integrity and doesn’t serve as a damning portrayal of what the print media is capable – that role goes to his slime ball editor (Michelle Fairley).
His sceptical ex-Catholic is juxtaposed cleverly with Philomena, a kind-hearted, sweet lady who has suffered heartache and woe in the name of God but in whom she has never lost faith. The Catholic Church did some terrible things to her and she would have every reason to be furious at her creator and all he/she/it represents. Instead, she embraces her love of The Lord and it is fundamental in making her a good person. This makes for some superb philosophical exchanges between her and Sixsmith and, importantly, the film doesn’t take sides.
This is a beautiful film that will break and warm your heart, with plenty of laughs; the scene at the airport in which Philomena describes the last book she read is a masterclass in how to extend a joke. Seth MacFarlane should take note. It is excruciatingly sad and yet triumphant in spirit. It shows we should all have faith, one way or another. Exquisite.
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