Philomena

One film that I couldnt wait to see after I first saw the trailer was Philomena. Staring Steve Coogan (Night at the Museum, Around the World in 80 Days) and Judi Dench (Skyfall, Casino Royale) and based off a true story, the film follows journalist Martin Sixsmith and an old woman named Philomena Lee on the journey to find her son who was taken from her when she was a young girl. The child was stolen from and given up for adoption without her consent by the nuns who she lived with at a convent when she was young. Decades later she is introduced to a former BBC Correspondent named Martin who decides to do a a human interest story on this woman and help her find her missing son. [SPOILERS AHEAD]

The two go on an interesting journey together starting with the very unhelpful nuns at the convent where she was forced to work. While there, Martin discovers that the nuns had in fact been lying about losing the records in a fire when in fact they burned them in a large bonfire to hide what they had been doing. With the little information they can get, they manage to trace him from that small town in Ireland to the United States where most of the adopted children ended up going. The two make the voyage overseas to Washington DC where they discover that Martin had actually met her son before. Her son's name changed from Anthony to Michael Hess and he was a prominent member of the Republican National Committee during the Reagan Administration. When Martin still worked for BBC he had actually met her son at the White House. The two go and meet one of his colleagues where they find out his was gay. His colleague also gave them the name of his adoptive sister where they find out he died of AIDS and get the name of his partner. While with his partner the biggest plot twist of all happens. Her son had actually gone to the convent in Ireland looking for her but the nuns lied and said they had no way of contacting her since she gave him up. Their journey literally came full circle as she discovers her son was actually buried in Ireland at the very convent that Philomena had visited multiple times trying to find him.

Even though she had the right to be angry and rude to the nuns about lying to both her and her son and keeping them apart forever, she wasnt. She forgive them for what they did and told Martin that she doesnt want to hate anybody and how his anger "must be exhausting." Her story is published to help bring to light the tragedies that happened to these young unwed women in Ireland who are still trying to find their children.

This film was not at all what I was expecting. When you watch this kind of film you pretty much expect a happy ending, and when one doesnt happen it kind of just leaves you hanging in disbelief. The only issue I have with this film is that it felt way to rushed at the beginning and the viewer was just immediately thrown into this story. Other than that I love the dialogue between the two characters and how the story is told. While in a way it does demonize the nuns a bit, Philomena is there to remind the viewer of forgiveness and how holding a grudge and being upset cant change anything. The film I believe is a great lesson on forgiveness and moving on. Even when you have the right to be upset, do your grieving and move on. Don't dwell on your anger too much or it can destroy you as it almost does to Martin at the end. This film is one I highly recommend everyone seeing, but definitely have the tissues ready.


photo credit: http://netflixlife.com/2015/09/25/50-best-movies-on-netflix-philomena-is-added-to-the-ranking/