Cinema Society

PHILOMENA

Average
Rating

4.5

Tuesday, November 05, 2013, ArcLight La Jolla

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5

On Screen: 4:30pm or 7:30pm (You Pick!)

ArcLight La Jolla (Auditoriums 4 & 5)

Cinema Chat and Introduction begins 15 minutes prior to screenings

Discussion follows screenings

Winner, People’s Choice Award, Toronto International Film Festival

Winner, Best Screenplay, Venice Film Festival

PHILOMENA

Based on the 2009 investigative book by BBC correspondent Martin Sixsmith, The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, PHILOMENA focuses on the efforts of Philomena Lee, mother to a boy conceived out of wedlock — something her Irish-Catholic community didn’t have the highest opinion of — and given away for adoption in the United States. In following church doctrine, she was forced to sign a contract that wouldn’t allow for any sort of inquiry into the son’s whereabouts. After starting a family years later in England and, for the most part, moving on with her life, Lee meets Sixsmith (Coogan), a BBC reporter with whom she decides to discover her long-lost son.

Featuring a tour-de-force performance by Dame Judi Dench as Philomena, and Steve Coogan as Sixsmith, PHILOMENA, a Weinstein Company Release, opens commercially in San Diego on November 27th.

Running Time: 95 Minutes. R Rated R for some language

Send a Comment

7-Nov-13: Mroe - Rating: 4

I went into this film with very little information and though I had read the description from our newsletter, I had not seen any previews on TV/Theaters and so I had no sense of tone or what the mood/feel of the movie was going to be. I was pleasantly surprised, it was dramatic and sad (and gut wrenching) with a touch of humor and whimsy. I thoroughly enjoyed Dame Judi Dench’s performance and wasn’t too surprised with Steve Coogan as I know he can play diverse roles, even if he is most known for comedy. I know this film was “inspired by true events” and the continues to be the newest trend of late in so allowing filmmakers to take a lot of liberties and artistic license with their “stories”, so I don’t fault it for its lack of accuracy or truth, I think there are a lot good messages to take away from this film that I will happily recommend it to others and hope to be cheering for Dame Dench come Oscar night.

6-Nov-13: judys - Rating: 5

Chilling for content, acting and cinematography.