Review of In the Name of the Father (1993) by Elvira B — 07 Jul 2008

This is a very strong film, very harsh. Jim Sheridan is really a director who doesn't get in the way of his story: he tells it like it is, with no free interpretations, and just the right amount of insights from the characters. Thanks to that very inobtrusive philosophy, the story of Gerry Conlon and his father comes through with great credibility and clarity, which makes it all the more easy to be enraged at the unbelievable injustices committed against them. Above all, it's a film that left me with a need to reflect and, somehow, appreciate what that real-life tragedy left as lesson to people in countries across the world.

The film, often narrated in first person, is sober, collected, and precise, but not cold: Daniel Day-Lewis's flawless performance, as well as Pete Postlethwaite's and Emma Thompson's, is tridimensional, human enough to cause an immediate empathy, if not sympathy, for his character. None of the individuals depicted were perfect, and it would be challenging to relate to them if they were being described on a piece of paper, but the actors and actresses do such an amazing job that it's impossible not to. Daniel Day-Lewis inhabits his character and seems to follow him through his transgressions. He alone is worth the watch (as usual).

In the Name of the Father is not only a very successful cry against injustice, but also one of the rare films that can approach the subject of the judicial system without having a lawyer with a coreography walking around the room or displaying an inaccessible latin vocabulary in front of the camera. In that sense, the film is not commonplace: it doesn't focus too long on the part of the tribunals, and when it does it is effective. That skillful narration and the poweful soundtrack, plus the amazing performances, make this film a worthy watch, and an obvious choice for anyone interested in Daniel Day-Lewis's not-very-extensive but excellent work.