philomena | 2013

Philomena, the film that has earned several nominations for this years Academy Awards, including best picture, is totally a good film headed by two magnificent actors. It is a story that could have been a hollywood drama and that became a drama, yes, but original because there's one thing that makes this film different from other movies that the industry has made. 

Philomena (Judi Dench) - a mother - is an old woman who has lived her life to find her son, Anthony, who was taken away from her when she was very young because she was living in an Abbey and there "having sex" was a sin. Philomena has no rancor for the nuns that took away his son or for anybody that treated her badly, she even believes firmly and convincingly in god after all what she has lived. On the other hand, there's Martin (Steve Coogan) a journalist that seems to have lived his great days and that kind of against his will but knowing he needs to do something new, is going to try and help the old woman to find his son. This awkward couple are going to live an adventure in which everything is going to be between kind of predictable but also some unpredictable things that are going to transform this film into a very good film. As said, this couple is going to travel, share experiences, thoughts.... 

Instead of focusing on something that could have been part of the argument of the movie - like the fact that Martin is a journalist and at the end of the day he is helping Philomena because he wants a good article- the focus is totally put in the story of Philomena and his suffering and pain for not having found his child, but not in totally dramatic way - where you are crying nearly all the film - but in a kind and loving way... you just fall in love with Dench's character, because she is sweet, caring, generous and above all the viewer can see she is a mother. The story then is touching because it is not about the misery of a mother, but because of a fighting woman, a loving mother that is not asking for more than knowing if his son did ever think of his origins, if she can learn more about his son, she is open but she's not willing for an espectacular thing. This is a film I think that can be touching for everybody but specially for mothers.

So, as it could be deducted, the story is quite good and the performances of just the two main characters, the others aren't so important, are magnificent, with an amazing Judi Dench as Philomena Lee, she portrays this mother in an excellent way... you really believes she is the mother of the film... this year, unfortunately, she has great fellow performances competing for the Oscar, like Cate Blanchett or Meryl Streep. Steve Coogan probably has done one of his best films. I would encourage everybody to see this film, I think it is beautiful and different without being something not so much popular.