Philomena
Steve Coogan is a very funny guy, but with “Philomena,” he becomes a very different type of actor. Or does he? One film of Coogan’s I deeply admire is “Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story,” which is a movie that deftly moves between comedy and prestige movie thanks to some terrific direction by Michael Winterbottom, and sharp work by Coogan in front of the camera. He proved there that he wasn’t just a funny actor; there’s more to him that just a silly demeanor. With “Philomena,” he proves that further.
Of course, Coogan’s co-star in Stephen Frears’s lovely, emotional film is the great Judi Dench, and deservingly, she’s been getting most of the attention for the film. She plays Philomena Lee, an Irish Catholic woman who, when she was younger, got pregnant, and was forced to give up the baby (named Anthony) by the nuns who ran the girl’s home she was sent to by her father when she was a teenager. Fifty years later, she has children and grandchildren in her life, but Anthony (whom she was able to see until he was adopted at three years old) has been on her mind every day. On what would have been his 50th birthday, she wants to set out to find him again.
This is where Coogan comes in. He plays Martin Sixsmith (upon whose book Coogan and Jeff Pope based their screenplay), a journalist-turned-political spin doctor who was just fired from his position in the Tony Blair administration. At a party, he finds himself talking to Philomena’s daughter, who tells him her story, and though he is dismissive at first, ultimately finds it to be a good chance to get his feet wet again as a journalist. That sets he and Philomena on a journey that will change both of their lives forever.
The fact that it’s “inspired by a true story” alone gives “Philomena” an air of “Oscar bait” to it that makes sitting through it seem like a slog, with Dame Judi’s presence adding to the prestige film vibe. But Coogan and Frears (the latter of whom is a former nominee for “The Grifters” and “The Queen”) are too sly for that, and though the film doesn’t move far from it’s position as a Weinstein Company award contender, these two, along with Dench (who seems to have been loosened up as a performer from her recent history as M in the Bond films), give us an emotional and amusing film that turns this true story into a beautiful testament of the human spirit. You might think you know where this film is going, and sometimes, you might be right, but I promise you that the film’s impact will last long after the credits roll. Not many of us may be able to identify with Philomena’s plight, or Martin’s transitions, throughout the film, but we will likely identify something of ourselves in these two, who Dame Judi and Coogan play with all the wit, warmth, and compassion they can muster, resulting in one of the year’s most enjoyable Oscar contenders.
