“Philomena”: The nuns stole her baby, 50 years ago

Steve Coogan and Judi Dench are the year's most potent odd couple in the subtle and heart-wrenching "Philomena"

Judi Dench and Steve Coogan in "Philomena" (Credit: Alex Bailey)

I feel considerable resistance, in theory, to a movie like “Philomena,” a classic work of fall-season awards-friendly cinema whose every move seems strategically plotted. It pairs one of the most beloved figures in world cinema (Judi Dench) with an acidic British star who’s never broken through in America and is looking to reboot his career (Steve Coogan). You get exactly one guess as to which member of this odd couple is the guileless innocent who needs a bit more steel in her spine and which one is the hard-boiled cynic who lacks a heart. Furthermore, “Philomena” also represents the latest comeback effort for English director Stephen Frears, who’s been cranking out workmanlike pictures since his 1980s heyday with only intermittent success. (“The Queen” and “Dirty Pretty Things” would be his best movies of this millennium.)
Fortunately, if and when you’re able to shovel those contextual questions to the back of your mind and watch the movie, “Philomena” turns out to be a subtly told tale of tragedy and redemption, with much of the sentimental payoff you’re expecting but several intriguing plot twists along the way. This is Coogan’s project, to a significant extent. He produced the film and co-wrote the screenplay (with Jeff Pope), which is based on a real-life tabloid story (ultimately a book, “The Lost Child of Philomena Lee”) that mesmerized the British public. But he understands where the heart of the film lies, nicely underplaying the role of Martin Sixsmith, a one-time star journalist and political apparatchik who has been ousted in a government scandal and is seeking both a payday and a way to relaunch his career. Martin has a bit in common with Coogan himself, a huge comedy star in British TV whose boundlessly insincere persona has never translated to the big screen.
Source-Salon