Stephen Frears, was previously the director of the movie “Queen” and “Dangerous Liaisons”. His new film is based on reality, showing the uplifting story of the elderly Irish lady, Philomena Lee (staring Judi Dench), together with Steve Coogan previously seen in “The Look of Love”, plays the role of the career nadir British reporter Martin Sixsmith. Philomena and Sixsmith both looking for almost Fifty years separated Anthony, Philomena’s child.
A true life’s human interest story packed in drama of catholism, adoption with consequences. Happening dated back in the ’50s, that most probably not only have had and/or may still exist not only in the UK but at the rest of the World.
Basically, the story goes back of Philomena aged 18 who became pregnant and was forced to take the hard side of life to be a resident at a UK convent. Judi Dench for decades being „THE benchmark as „M”, a flesh-and-blood mother figure in the series of OO7 James Bond, is now showing for the first time her glimpse of her comedic side as an Irish elder mother figure with wounded heart and soul in finally deciding to open her book of her secret life. Steve Coogan, the pitty jobless journalist can be taken as one of the „double OOs”, if we were still on the scene, take, rolls of James Bond, but let alone here in this drama the two main characters have something more emotionally deep to share with the audience. They both brilliantly complement each other and at times the drama actually has a twist over into oddly sweet moments.
Throughout the film, Dench radiates a sort of wounded dignity, the loser of the past events, willing to apologize the nuns for their act by giving her son away for money. As life has its plays, Philomena by fate meets the pitty jobless journalist and the two different people become one. Off they go sometimes hand-in-hand and sometime the two of them walking on different side of the street, but they both crawl through thick-and-thin to finally find out the hidden truth of Anthony, Philomena’s son.
Probably many folks may say the film is quite disappointing, but I believe they have their eyes and ears closed. Throughout the ages, history proved many circumstances which in real-time were not known by the public and/or if so, even excepted. This doesn’t mean of what was/is not seen … wasn’t/isn’t there.
Just watch carefully the first few seconds of the movie … (it will disappear in short time) a large capital letter „M” appears, which swiftly becomes a letter of the word “Philomena”. A tricky and superb connection to Dench’s grand moments in time and films.
Three version of the English drama will be screened in english speaking, synchronized and subtitled in Hungarian.
Here goes the list of the crew: Stephen Frears – director, Martin Sixsmith – writer, Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope – screenwriter, Desplat Alexandre – music, Robbie Ryan – director of photography.
Awards and nominations:
Venice International Film Festival (2013) – Best Screenplay: Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
Venice International Film Festival (2013) – Golden Lion nomination: Stephen Frears
Very touchy movie … take a deep breath and hankies preferable to keep in hands.
Update by Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 