In the Name of the Father


Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite, Emma Thompson, Tom Wilkinson
Directed by: Jim Sheridan
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Biography
1993

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: While the British government investigates a series of bombings by the IRA, a small-time thief (Daniel Day-Lewis) is mistakingly arrested. The government charges him with the bombing, and arrests his father (Pete Postlewaite) as well, charging him with conspiracy. Despite protests of their innocence and a surprising lack of evidence, they spend years in jail, while a lawyer (Emma Thompson) tries to free them.

Review:

Tim: This is the type of movie that was perfect Oscar-bait. You have a powerful, emotional drama based on a real-life person who spent years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. Daniel Day-Lewis plays this real-life man, and gives a fairly exceptional performance. He's surrounded by strong supporting roles. However, there is something lacking. All the pieces are here, but they just don't fit together perfectly. The movie is surprisingly devoid of heart. While there are some great moments, the movie as a whole should have been better.

Daniel Day-Lewis is quite good in the role. He's known for these powerful performances. While this isn't his best performance, he's still incredible. There are a few moments where you just cannot take your eyes off him. He has some great help, especially in Pete Postlewaite, who plays his father. Postlewaite likewise gives an impressive performance, and the movie's best scenes are the ones with these two men interacting. Emma Thompson is decent as a lawyer, but she doesn't add nearly as much as she could have.

The movie isn't too long, at 133 minutes, but there are several moments that really drag on. This causes the movie to feel longer than it really is. The emotional scenes are great, but the others leave something to be desired.

In the Name of the Father is a movie set up for Oscar glory. It was nominated for 7 Academy Awards. However, like so many movies, although it appears terrific on paper, it is in reality less than expected. It didn't win a single award, and for good reason. This is a good movie, but please don't mistake it for a great one.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Gangs of New York, There Will Be Blood, My Left Foot