Philomena
What we're watching
•
Drama, PG-13, 31-Aug-2013
Coogan plays journalist Martin Sixsmith, who becomes intrigued by the story of Philomena Lee (Dench), who as a pregnant teenager in Ireland was shipped off to a convent where nuns forcibly adopted her child. Profoundly affected by her story, Sixsmith convinces her to challenge the convent for answers, leading a trail to America where they uncover the extraordinary story of her long-lost son. British cinema’s dextrous and deft-handed veteran Stephen Frears steers the tone perfectly between light humour and devastating drama, corralling an impressive straight-role from the usually comic Coogan along with a performance of remarkable dignity from Judi Dench. The result is a film that astonishes for its quiet power; shining a light on a disturbing, forgotten history while leaving viewers optimistic and enlightened.
Up Next in What we're watching
-
Playground
The original title, meaning 'a world', suggests that a school is a self-enclosed universe with its own customs and abuses - and a microcosm of the injustices outside. Nora (mesmerising newcomer Maya Vanderbeque) arrives in a new school, nervous about leaving her dad and yearning for the protectio...
-
The Lover
Indochina, in the late 1920s. On a ferry across the Mekong, a French teenage girl meets the Chinese Man. She is fascinated by his riches and elegance, and accepts a lift in his limousine to complete their journey. Together, they enter a whirlwind of reckless, all-consuming passion, born from desi...
-
The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey
Cumbria, 1348, the year of the Black Death. Griffin, a young boy, is plagued by apocalyptic visions which he believes could save his village. Encouraging a small band of men to tunnel into the earth, they surface in 1980s New Zealand and a future beyond their comprehension - but must complete the...
