Review of Philomena (2013) by Valerie P — 13 Jan 2015

This is without a doubt one of the best movies I watched in 2014. Judi Dench, always an actress that I hold in great esteem, steps into the character of a feisty, salt-of-the-earth Irish woman and holds the audience captive throughout.

Similar to the story of Oranges and Sunshine, in which British babies left in care were shipped abroad to Australia and other countries without the parents' knowledge; this is the true story of an Irish boy who was sold by nuns to a family in America. When Philomena begins her search for her grown son, she is repeatedly told that all records have been lost in a fire. It is only with a BBC correspondent, Martin Sixsmith, at her side that she is able to undercover the devastating truth.

The premise may sound sentimental and depressing, but the character of Philomena, and the bond she forms with Sixsmith over the course of their investigation, makes for a lively and comical dialogue.

I wholeheartedly recommend this film. It is all at once heartwarming and sobering. A rare range of human emotions come together in this script to create something very memorable. It is a story that needed to be told, and the Frears, Pope, Coogan team have made an excellent job of it.