(and by that, I mean it is virtually the opposite of Juno but it's the only movie I could immediately think of that had a teen mother)
Why I Saw It:The Oscar nominations.
Cast: It's a pretty small cast we are dealing with. Judi Dench is unexpectedly great. I did not expect much from this character but Philomena is a complex character. There are times when she is completely overwhelmed, others when she is fully in control. She old fashioned and thoroughly modern. She's funny. She's heartbreaking. She's just about everything in the movie. It is a great role for her. Steve Coogan is one of those people I know very well even though I've seen little that he's been in. I know that sarcasm and patronizing is kind of his default and he keeps it under control well. He is a cynic who isn't content to accept the shit in the world and the movie consistently chooses against the natural "let him be an asshole" moves.
Plot: It's based on a true story and it's one of those where 5% is true or 95% is true. I'm not sure which is the case, not do I care to. Coogan's character, Martin, is a shamed journalist who decides to do a human interest piece about Philomena (Dench), a woman who was basically sold into servitude to an abbey and who's baby was adopted against her wishes 50 years ago. The story follows them as they track her son down, get pullback from the church, and learn about who he is. There's some twists in there that I'd rather you find out on your own. Several times, it decides to not give into the common trappings of a story like this. It's a very simple movie though. It's a very tight script that zips through everything without shortchanging anything or sitting on anything long enough to make it tedious.
Elephant in the Room: It doesn't sound that favorable of the church? That's the cool thing about the script. It doesn't give the nuns in the Abbey a pass nor does it be a Dan Brown-esque conspiracy. Philomena repeatedly defends the nuns and there's nearly a tone of blaming the times as much as the church. They were a product of each other. When I heard what the movie was about, I expected an angry movie and that is not what this is. It's more about finding peace in what has happened and making it right (or coming as close as possible).
To Sum Things Up:
This is a smart movie that delivers exactly what it promises and doesn't try to do too much with it. It tugs at the heart strings a few times, never in a manipulative way. Dench's performance is understated in a way that many people will overlook. Coogan doesn't get in the way of anything which is exactly what he needs to be. In an awards season marked by a lot of ambitious movie that try to do too much, it's nice to see something that succeeds in not being any bigger than the story needs.
Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend
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