Thursday 7 November 2013

Film: 'PHILOMENA'

Director Stephen Frears can usually be relied upon to come up with a film that is both significant and superior. He's already been responsible for so many of them over the last three decades or more - and here, with the flawless contributions of the acting masterclass that is Judi Dench, and the increasingly and impressively versatile Steve Coogan, he's given us a film that is right up there with the very best of them. This is an exceptionally fine film!

It is based on the true story of an Irish woman, Philomena Lee, as recorded by Martin Sixsmith, his being a household name in the 1980s and 90s for us news-junkies as, among other things he was, for a time, chief BBC correspondent in Moscow and in Washington - before joining Tony Blair's government as adviser, only to later fall out with them.

This film concerns Philomena's (Dench) 50-year search for the child she had to give up (actually sold!) for adoption, by the nuns of the institution she attended (one of the notorious 'Magdelene Laundries' for orphaned and disowned girls run in Ireland by the 'Sisters of Mercy'), because it was born illegitimate to her  when she had barely entered her teenage years. Coogan, as Sixsmith, is the writer who, initially reluctant to take up the story, becomes driven by a curiosity followed by a steely determination to assist, then taking her to America where the track leads.

I was aware of the vague outline of the story but I was totally unprepared for a certain most interesting  dimension to develop, which I shan't disclose here.

The film contains a strong indictment of the Catholic Church's attitude of the time (and still continuing in places) regarding the 'heinousness' of extra-marital sex. Any consequent birth, attended by the nuns, has all anaesthetics and pain relief withheld, in order that the young mother experiences the excruciating pain brought about by her grievous 'sin'.
The Sixsmith character is a former Catholic, now atheist (rather like me, in that respect) who articulates condemnations of the Church on this issue with words which, I'm sure, a lot of us would wish to have delivered ourselves. In fact in the climactic final confrontation I was half-inclined to cheer him on. Philomena, meanwhile, retains her faith despite the lifetime of hurt that the Church has done to her.

Coogan is also one of the script's two co-writers - and it's a magnificent one, concentrated significance with hardly an extraneous word. Most satisfying to listen to.

It's incredible to think that Dench is only one month away from turning 79. Whenever she decides to retire, which surely can't be far away now, she'll have left us a body of work which any other respectable actor would die for. If she has been somewhat over-frequent on screen in recent years I don't mind that in the least. My attitude is to treasure her while we've got her. Besides, she never delivers a dud. (If you haven't yet seen her in 'Notes on a Scandal'  [2006], I'd urge all serious cineastes to catch it. It's a performance that left me transfixed with admiration.)

'Philomena' is a wonderful film. Sentimental, yes, but it's not a contrived sentiment created to get the audience's sympathy. That's already there under the cruelty to which she was subjected.

In the remainder of this year if I see another film as fine as this one then I'll have been very lucky. As at now  there is a good handful of films already jostling for my title of 'Film of 2013'. This is another one............8.

14 comments:

  1. on my list. I need a cinema friend. lol OH wont see this. Else I will have to wait till it comes out on DVD. So maybe instead of a book club, I should search for a cinema club. I don't even know if they exist

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    1. It's a 'must', Sol - to be seen in any form, and because the issue is intimate it'll work on the small screen too.
      Don't know much about cinema clubs, I'm afraid. Not even sure what they are.

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  2. The cinema is often better alone anyway...

    Agree re: Notes on a Scandal and would add Iris as another film in which Dench excels...

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    1. It's a very long time since I went to the cinema in company, Andrew - though I do prefer it when there's a reasonable audience to react along with, but only as long as there's still enough space so I can sit separate from the rest!

      Yes, 'Iris' certainly must also be included on the considerable list of achievements that Judi has notched up.

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  3. A blogger posted a scene from this movie which I think is the added dimension you are referring to. Like you, I shan't disclose it. But this movie is a must-see.

    I agree, Dench will have left an extraordinary body of work behind. But it should have been more. She was cheated out of so many roles by Meryl Streep. What she could have done with the role of Violet in "August: Osage County." It was made for her. But, as I knew Streep would get it- already Oscar buzz again. And the role of the nun in "Doubt" - Streep again - another role Dench could have made her own. Forgive the rant, but this has pissed me off for a long time.

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    1. Paul, I see that 'Orange' isn't due for release here until mid-Jan. But it looks like compulsory viewing no matter who is cast as the female lead - and what a starry cast it is, notwithstanding Judi's absence.
      I hadn't realised that Streep had 'stolen' those roles from Dench. Perhaps she hasn't yet recovered from having the role of Evita taken from her by Madonna, who actually wasn't too bad, but Streep would have been ever so much better.

      On 'Philomena' I've just a few mins ago heard on the radio that in real life the title character wasn't taken to America to search out her son, but that the liberty taken in the film was acceptable as being within the spirit of the truth. Hope that hasn't spoilt it for you. Must say it comes as a bit of a blow for me, though not such a critical one as to make me revise my judgment of how it works as a film i.e. a clear success.

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  4. H Ray Hi Andrew, I am not sure I am ready for the cinema on my own again. I saw the last 3 twilight on my own. I don't like the idea of sitting in the dark on my own next to strangers.

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    1. Well for me, Sol, that depends on the stranger. But no, I know what you mean. I always have to keep a distance from the bulk of the audience, which is why I never sit in a central location. In each cinema I have my 'own' seat, which is slightly out of the way (I really get peeved if someone is already sitting in it!) - but I do also like the unspoken camaraderie of a significant audience experiencing what's on the screen at the same time as myself. That is also one of the reasons I rarely watch films on TV because then I would be totally alone.

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  5. A worthy film to be sure
    And wonderfully restrained
    But I couldn't quite " buy" dench's Philomena
    Sorry

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    1. Yes, J.G., if you think that Dench's handicap lies in her being over-exposed by being in so many films of latter years then I wouldn't disagree with you there. But if you think her actual performance in this was not on the mark, there I'd take issue with you. For me she caught all the anguish and guilt of the mother superbly - though I was left with the odd uncertainty as to why, despite all she'd been through, she still clung rigidly to her faith without, seemingly, even slightly shaken by events. But presumably this was copied from real-life Philomena.
      I still think it was, overall, as close to being a near-perfect film as one can reasonably expect.

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    2. I think it was the accent
      Plain and simple

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    3. Now THAT is a valid point. She doesn't do accents - or not that I've noticed.

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  6. This sounds excellent. It has arrived at our local multi-plexes and has been getting some tv promotion. Myabe I will be able to see it before the Christmas movies make their arrival

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    1. I'd be astonished if you were not to like it, H.K. For me it deserves all the praise it's received. (There hasn't been much negative criticism anyway).
      Certainly one for the 'discerning' viewer. Do go and let us know what you think.

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