Irish Film Institute -PHILOMENA

PHILOMENA

Director: Stephen Frears

98 minutes, U.K., 2013, Colour, D-Cinema


Closing this Thursday, November 28th.

After losing his job with the Labour government, former BBC journalist Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) finds himself at a loose end. When a dinner party waitress tells him about her mother, a retired nurse who had her child taken from her and put up for adoption by nuns in Ireland 50 years previously, he is initially dismissive of this mere ‘human interest story’. However, on meeting Philomena (Judi Dench), he is drawn into her story and the two set off in search of her son.

The journey takes the world-weary, cynical journalist and warm, sweet older woman with unshakeable faith in God and people from a Roscrea convent to Washington, D.C.

To reveal how events unfold would be unfair, but suffice to say that the film is genuinely moving and, ultimately, filled with righteous anger in which the viewer cannot but share. (Notes by Kevin Coyne.)

Philomena will be one of three films discussed in November’s FREE film club meeting, The Critical Take, on November 27th at 18.30. This event is open to all!

Don’t forget we now schedule weekly!

 

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