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Philomena is the true story of one mother's search for her lost son. Falling pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee was sent to the convent of Roscrea to be looked after as a fallen woman. When her baby was only a toddler, he was whisked away by the nuns to America for adoption. Philomena (Judi Dench) spent the next fifty years searching for him in vain. Then she met Martin Sixsmith, a world-weary journalist as cynical as Philomena was trusting. Together they set off for America on a journey that would not only reveal the extraordinary story of Philomena's son, but also the powerful bond that grew between Philomena and Martin.
Based on Sixsmith's acclaimed book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee: A Mother, Her Son and a Fifty-Year Search, the film is a bitter-sweet drama, a compelling narrative of human love and loss and ultimately a celebration of life. Judi Dench's phenomenal lead performance has Oscar written all over it.
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Review by: mizim (Miriam)
Dated: 3rd of January, 2015
I'd heard good things about this movie and so when we were at the video store last week and needing a couple more movies for our 6 for $20 deal, I grabbed this off the shelf and added it to the bundle of DVDs.
This is a story that I have heard similar versions of and always has made me curious as to how these mothers have coped and where they are at now. Philomena follows Martin, a journalist, who decides to do a human interest story and join her in her continuing search for her son who was taken away from her at just a couple of years old and adopted out to a family. What follows is a lovely story as they travel and hunt down the information that they can to eventually locate her son, but warning, don't expect a perfect, happy ending, just a nice, sweet, fulfilling ending.
The script is well done, does a great balance between comedy, drama and all the feelings that come with a mother who has loved her son since day one yet gone a good 48 years without knowing who he is or how he is. The original author and Martin even took part of this, writing the script along with Coogan and they've done a wonderful job. Dench is wonderful in her role as Philomena and really sells it complete with heart and you're wanting her to get some closure to this search.
I rather enjoyed this movie, lots of heart and keeps you interested.
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