Review of In the Name of the Father (1993) by Timothy S — 05 May 2012

"In the Name of the Father" is an enormously draining true-life drama made even more powerful by its two lead, Oscar nominated performances. Even though they were only separated by eleven years in real life, Daniel Day Lewis and Pete Postlethwaite make a convincing father and son, and Postlethwaite seemingly comes from nowhere with this heartfelt, compassionate performance.

We've come to expect greatness from Day Lewis, and he does not disappoint here either. Watching his transformation from aimless street punk to civil rights crusader is mesmerizing. My only complaint is that it comes too late in the film. I would also have liked to see more of Emma Thompson in a supporting role as the lawyer who eventually frees him. The film spends too much time in the prison and not enough focusing on her efforts to prove his innocence.

The scene in the courthouse that closes the picture is powerful when Gerry Condon is ultimately vindicated, but it feels rushed. Many of the characters are composites of real people and some, like Don Baker's character who confesses to being the real bomber behind bars, are completely fictitious. More time should have been spent on Thompson's story than his, especially considering he was never even a part of the actual story.

Still, the film is very potent and the story needed to be told, and under Jim Sheridan's masterful direction, it moves briskly and draws you in. But the performances and story are the real draws here, and in that respect, "In the Name of the Father" is worthy of all the praise. The dramatic licenses add little, as the real events are compelling enough without all of the embellishments.