Review of Philomena (2013) by Jc E — 20 May 2014

I've had this sitting in my list of movies that I need to review, but I just haven't been able to find the words to write about how disappointed I am in it. The movie has all the elements that it needs to succeed as a witty yet touching film, but drops the ball in so many ways that it overwhelms the heartfelt performance by Judi Dench (Skyfall).

Usually I'd appreciate Steve Coogan's (The Other Guys) dry comic wit, but it seems that his character is only there to bash the Catholic Church. Initially, I was able to overlook it and just go with the somewhat touching story, and then the tables turn a bit and go for a gay agenda subtext.

If it were just left at [this certain character] was gay, I would have been fine with that. Instead, it goes for the born-that-way, Republicans-hate-gays clichés that permeate these kinds of movies. Even the heavy theme of forgiveness is overshadowed by the axe-to-grind elements.

So between the Catholic-bashing, the gay agenda (both of which are so cliché that it makes on think that Coogan, his co-writer Jeff Pope, and director Stephen Frears [The Queen] were getting their script notes from the hacks at MSNBC), and the general lack of decorum when it comes to what makes a movie great, I was very let down after initially being intrigued.

Plus, I was so distracted by Michelle Fairley's ("Game of Thrones") presence every time she was on screen, thinking, "Isn't she [plot element from GOT deleted]?".