Review of In the Name of the Father (1993) by John R — 17 Nov 2010

In the Name of the Father.

Director: Jim Sheridan.

Writers: Gerry Conlon and Terry George.

Mains: Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite and Alison Crosbie.

"I'm an innocent man. I spent 15 years in prison for something I didn't do".

Plot: Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a young man that lives a life with no rules. Him and his family are living through a time of war between the Irish and the British government. G. Conlon is mistaken for a the leader of a terrorist group that bombed a local shop killing 5 people. The government has forced him to confess, leading up to the arrest of his entire family. Now behind bars he can face his father Giuseppe Conlon (Pete Postlethwaite) that isnt proud of what he has become as a person, in addition they are trying to prove their innocents knowing that they have been wrongfully and illegally accused. Emotions run deep character driven movie!

My Take: Wow, this makes Shawshank Redemption look like crap (i still like it though). This movie is perfect in every way. It starts off by showing you the life of Gerry Conlon and the lives of his family, so the character development is beyond top notch. The acting....... OMG is all im going to say. I loved every minute of this movie from beginning to end. What I especially liked was the discussions Gerry and Giuseppe had in their cells. Every emotion that has build up as a child has come out during this time of depression and stress and it gets extremely intense. Pete Postlethwaite has proven time after time that he is a very solid supporting actor and he doest fall short AT ALL in this film. On the other hand Daniel Day-Lewis's performance was freaking OUTSTANDING. Every time he spoke it felt authentic and every emotional scene I felt 100% where he was coming from, it was as if I was living his life through his own eyes. This guy is talented for sure and delivers and unforgettable performance. I also loved the deep themes of regret and forgiveness. I dont wanna give the movie away because its truly a gem.

Conclusion: This movie has instantly made it to my top 25 (i just gotta figure out which movie to boot ). It packs a very talented cast (overly talented) and well written story. Fans of the Shawshank Redemption will easily enjoy this little gem and see what a Great movie truly is. Everything from the opening scene, to the jailhouse scenes to the ending are full of emotions and well performed. I will never forget the effect this movie had on me and I will always hold it in a very special place (somewhere in my top 25 lol). Great movie in every way.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

5/5.