Philomena (2013)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Philomena (2013) – S. Frears

Basically, a two-hander for Judi Dench and Steve Coogan – and both actors acquit themselves admirably.  Dench, as the elderly Irish woman searching for her son (who had been removed from her by nuns after a teen pregnancy) and Coogan, as the out-of-work journalist who takes up her “human interest” story (approached originally with disdain).  Dench does a fine job of disappearing into her role and Coogan, well, how could he? The good thing about Coogan is that his schtick is genuinely amusing and even in subdued mode here, he still brings added comic value just because it’s him.  Stephen Frears is by now a truly mainstream director and he adds polish to the proceedings, keeping things interesting, as the pair gets closer and closer to the truth.  Although the premise for the film might easily be perceived as political (another failing of the Catholic Church), the script does not go for the jugular but instead lets everyone off relatively easy (noting implicitly how faith has led people to err in many ways, perhaps including Dench’s character).  All told, an easy watch for those times when you don’t have brainpower for something challenging.