Philomena

After bowing to great acclaim at the Venice and Toronto and film festivals, Stephen Frears’ Philomena has already proved a big hit with international audiences but will be of particular interest to Irish viewers thanks to its examination of one of the more shameful aspects of our recent history. Based on the non-fiction book by Martin Sixmith (Steve Coogan) the film begins when the author loses his job as a government advisor. Compelled by necessity to return to his former profession as a journalist, he stumbles across the story of Philomena Lee (Judi Dench) who was forced to give up her son for adoption fifty years earlier. While he initially sneers at what he deems a mere “human interest” story, he reluctantly agrees to accompany Philomena on her journey to find out what became of her lost child and his cynicism is gradually eroded by her seemingly limitless capacity for forgiveness.

Coogan, whose movie career has stuttered when straying from his tried and tested partnership with director Michael Winterbottom (The Trip, 24 Hour Party People) penned the screenplay with writing partner Jeff Pope, and he’s well suited to the role of the world weary Sixmith. This is really Dench’s film though, and she brings great sensitivity and surprising steel to the role of Philomena, a woman who, despite the hardships she has endured, has not allowed herself to become bitter.

With such a harrowing story at the heart of the film, the injection of some levity is to be welcomed but the script’s broader elements don’t always convince.  When the pair’s quest takes them to America, we’re suddenly in a fish out of water comedy, with Coogan playing the exasperated straight man to Dench’s loveable innocent. At times there’s a hint of condescension in the depiction of Philomena. We are invited to laugh at her wide-eyed wonderment in the face of American culture, her fondness for custard creams, and her utter obliviousness as she recounts the plot of a series of trashy romantic novels in excruciating detail. However, these occasionally ham-fisted attempts at humour are undercut by the less stereotypical aspects of her character. Despite spending years being harangued by the nuns of Roscrea for her supposed sins, she’s not motivated by revenge and refuses to feel guilt for enjoying sex or having a child out of wedlock.

Given the film’s subject matter, it’s difficult not to be moved by Philomena. The barbaric treatment that unwed mothers and their children endured in the Magadalene laundries has left an indelible stain on this country and any film that brings wider attention to this inglorious aspect of our past is to be applauded. If it occasionally stumbles in trying to mix tragedy and comedy, it’s still an admirable attempt to make a crowd pleasing film that takes on such harrowing subject matter. While it sometimes comes across as a cuddlier version of Peter Mullan’s The Magadalene Sisters it also benefits from assured performances from the two leads and Dench in particular is a shoo-in for recognition come awards season.