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    Philomena

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    "Philomena" could have easily been a forgettable fluff piece, the kind of movie you watch with your grandmother because you know she’d lose her mind watching something like “The Wolf of Wall Street” but solid performances from the leads and a story that is genuinely interesting and moving makes it very enjoyable for everyone. It’s also, surprisingly funny, mixing drama and comedy effectively to keep the pace up and the developments fresh. Despite the premise of the film, this is not strictly a drama. We get some heavy emotional moments from the revelations of Philomena’s life and her thoughts and concerns relating to her son and we get some comedy too in the form of the “odd couple” type of relationship between Martin and Philomena. Martin is a cynical, abrasive journalist who basically thinks the story is beneath him and is only going along so that he can springboard his career back on track. Philomena is a lady that’s sweet and meek to a fault. She’s a devout catholic and the kind of person that tells everyone that they’re they’ve given her the best service she’s ever received and is completely genuine about it. It’s true that you’ve seen that type of scenario before, but that’s when the drama comes in to mix things up. Anytime you have a story about a mother looking for her long-lost son, it’s pretty hard not to get emotional about it. On top of that, we’ve got this angle of moral outrage at the treatment the woman suffered in her youth while in the convent that will suck you in and have you cheering for this investigative duo. Don’t forget the whole investigation, which seems pretty doomed from the start but does begin picking up after a few dead ends. That investigation is when the two personalities clash for comedy and drama. When Philomena seems to give up too easily or her desire to forgive and forget (the treatment she endured, not her son) begins to hinder the search you’re taken aback, just like Martin is. She seems uncertain about some of the journalistic and investigative techniques Martin is using, which makes him furious because he begins feeling emotionally attached to the old lady and the story. On the reverse, Philomena’s personality is so widely different from Martin that he frequently finds himself exasperated or losing his patience with her, but he doesn’t want to show any anger towards her so he mostly results to sarcastic remarks, most of which go right over her head. It all circulates around nicely, the comedy, the drama, the investigation and the odd-couple comedy to make a story that’s very compelling. My only real criticism is that there are times when the movie does get a bit syrupy and it felt like it could have had a bit more of a bite. Those are minor criticisms but I feel obligated to mention them because I’ve been piling on the justly deserved compliments non-stop. It’s an effective drama with just the right amount of comedy thrown in, some great performances and a story that will really make you think. I say see it, and bring the family with you, setting aside some time afterwards to discuss what you thought about it over coffee. (Theatrical version on the big screen, January 25, 2014)

    8
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    adamwatchesmovies@  28.1.2014 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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