My Left Foot

There are classic actors and there are method actors. Classic actors use their own experiences to relate to the characters they play. Method actors become the people they're playing. (I admire my fair share of both classic and method actors.)

There are a number of method actors held in high regard today. Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman...these are actors that others call influences on their own craft. But the most determined (and possibly insane) method actor has to be Daniel Day-Lewis. He didn't win three Oscars just from a little bit of talent.

He won his first Oscar for his work in Jim Sheridan's My Left Foot, and it doesn't take much to see how he won. The role of Christy Brown is one that only a skilled actor can pull off without making it hokey. Of course, Day-Lewis is such an actor.

The physical demands of the role are very clear, but not many take into account the emotional demands. The fact that Christy is essentially trapped in his own body is heartbreaking on its own. The fact his own family can't understand him just makes the situation even worse. (His outburst in the restaurant is just as devastating.)

My Left Foot is an unbelievably raw film with an equally raw performance from Day-Lewis. It's really one of those performances that you can't watch and can't look away from. It's just remarkable in every sense of the word.

My Rating: *****

In the Name of the Father

Wrongful convictions is one thing in our society that never ceases to provoke me. It shows how misinformed the legal system can be.

Jim Sheridan's In the Name of the Father shows one of the best example of a miscarriage of justice. Set during the 1970's in Belfast, it displays the many hardships of the time. Hey, no one said life in the 1970's was pleasant.

The main driving force of In the Name of the Father is in the form of Daniel Day-Lewis. He appears confident and sure of himself early on, but you can clearly notice the scared look on his face throughout. This is also one of Day-Lewis' best performances. (Then again, does he ever have a bad performance?)

Another great performance comes from Pete Postlethwaite, a fine actor who sadly passed away earlier this year. He was always a bit of a scene stealer (as shown in his penultimate film The Town), and such is the case with In the Name of the Father. He tries to re-connect with Day-Lewis, trying to salvage the father-son relationship they once had. It's a heartbreaking performance from him. (It's also another reason for why I hold a grudge at Tommy Lee Jones for winning Supporting Actor that year.)

In the Name of the Father is a great movie, but the pacing bothered me a bit. It was like it was slow, then it sped up, and then it slowed down again. Bothersome, but thankfully the work from Day-Lewis and Postlethwaite managed to have me overlook that irksome detail. All in all, worth a look.

My Rating: ****1/2

In America

A new experience. Whether it be visiting a new location or meeting someone new, one always goes through such an experience.

The small Irish family in In America are such an example. They seek to achieve the American Dream in New York City. But it's a slow climb to that dream.

A subplot of In America is the family trying to move on after the death of the son. The mother and two daughters have accepted the death, but the father seems reluctant to move on. He still wants a memory of his son.

I'm aware of Jim Sheridan's other movies (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father), but I decided that In America would be my introduction to his movies. It seemed appropriate since In America was loosely based on Sheridan's struggles in New York City during the 1980's.

In America had me really choked up in many parts throughout, but it's the ending that packed the emotional wallop. Don't say I didn't warn you.

My Rating: ****1/2