‘Philomena’ is moving portrait of mother searching for her son

Philomena, directed by Stephen Frears, tells the remarkably moving story of Philomena Lee (Judi Dench), an Irish woman desperately trying to find the son she had taken from her as a teenager. In her younger years, her unexpected pregnancy proved scandalous, and she was sent to work at the Roscrea convent under the harsh stares of judgmental nuns. When her son was born, she watched as he grew up, knowing that some day they may be pulled apart if “proper” adoption parents could be found.

That day arrived, and Philomena lost her child, even though she was ready and willing to take care of him herself. In the present day, we see an older Philomena, still grieving her son’s loss. She wishes he’s living a successful, healthy life, but she has no idea of knowing where he might be. In some ways, she’s scared to find out the truth.

Enter Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan, who also wrote the screenplay with Jeff Pope). He’s a down-and-out journalist coming back from his own scandal, and he decides to explore Philomena’s story for that dreaded journalism assignment: the human interest story. What he finds — and what Philomena finds — changes both of their lives forever.

Dench and Coogan, an unlikely movie duo, are brilliantly cast in the film. Dench plays Philomena with a unique dedication to finding her son and protecting his story, but her fierceness is also in check when dealing with her Roman Catholicism. She has a difficult time saying that the nuns were to blame for the entire situation. Martin, much less religious than Philomena, has no qualms searching behind closed doors to find out the ultimate fate of Philomena’s son. He knows this is a great story, but he’s also aware that Philomena deserves some answers for her own sanity.

The script is clever and thoughtful, finding a nice pacing between the many discoveries that Martin and Philomena find and the emotional roller-coaster that Philomena endures. This central character is one who has never left her comfortable surroundings, while Martin is well traveled and cosmopolitan. Together they have many humorous scenes where they need to put aside their differences and work together.

It would ruin the movie to divulge what Philomena finds at the end of the bread-crumb trail. Safe to say, the catharsis is not overly played up for Hollywood’s sake. There’s an honesty and sadness to everything that seeps through this narrative, and much credit should be given to Frears for basing the characters and settings in a realism that doesn’t feel pushed or overly sentimental.

Coogan, Frears and Dench are a triumvirate of talent, and they offer some of their best work in this little film with an enormously powerful message about the undying devotion of motherhood.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Philomena

• 2013

• Directed by Stephen Frears

• Written by Jeff Pope and Steven Coogan; based on the book by Martin Sixsmith

• Starring Judi Dench and Coogan

• Running time: 95 minutes

• Rated PG-13 on appeal for some strong language, thematic elements and sexual references

• Rating: