Plot
A world-weary political journalist picks up the story of a woman's search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent.
Release Year: 2013
Rating: 7.8/10 (1,643 voted)
Critic's Score: 77/100
Director: Stephen Frears
Stars: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Sophie Kennedy Clark
Storyline
A world-weary political journalist picks up the story of a woman's search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent.
Writers: Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope
Cast: Judi Dench -
Philomena
Steve Coogan -
Martin Sixsmith
Sophie Kennedy Clark -
Young Philomena
Mare Winningham -
Mary
Barbara Jefford -
Sister Hildegarde
Ruth McCabe -
Mother Barbara
Peter Hermann -
Pete Olsson
Sean Mahon -
Michael
Anna Maxwell Martin -
Jane
Michelle Fairley -
Sally Mitchell
Wunmi Mosaku -
Young Nun
Amy McAllister -
Sister Anunciata
Charlie Murphy -
Kathleen
Cathy Belton -
Sister Claire
Kate Fleetwood -
Young Sister Hildegarde
Country: UK, USA, France
Language: English
Release Date: 27 November 2013
Filming Locations: London, England, UK
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
There are flashbacks which are done with "home movies". Some of these were created for the film but some of them are from actual footage of her real son. See more »
Goofs:
Though the film appears to be set in about 2002, the red Mazda MX-5 in which Pete Olsen arrives at his house is a third generation model, not launched until 2005. See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 8/10
As several critics have observed, this wonderful film, just shown at
TIFF, is destined to become this year's King's Speech (which began its
Oscar run in Toronto too, though Philomena has already picked up
accolades in Venice). Both British films have strongly emotional
undercurrents leavened by wry humour, feature outstanding performances
from the leads and are based on true stories.
Judi Dench, as the Irish woman whose out-of-wedlock son is taken from
her by Catholic nuns and sold to a rich American couple in the 1950's,
has never been better. She imbues the role with a mix of wisdom (after
all, as she reminds us repeatedly, she was nurse for 30 years) and
naiveté that would seem to be impossible were it not so deftly handled.
While the cynical atheist portrayed by Steve Coogan rarely misses an
opportunity to poke fun at her, more often than not she enjoys the last
laugh.
Despite the consummate acting, and Frears' slick directing, the
greatest treat of the film is Steve Coogan's screenplay. Given its
subject matter, the story could easily have veered into melodrama, but
just when it is on the verge of doing so Coogan pulls us back from the
edge. Thankfully, Coogan himself is there to convey precisely the
proper blend of sarcasm and compassion.
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