My Left Foot (1989)

Nominee

Bio pics are without a doubt very hit or miss mostly just because they are easy. You pick a person with an inspirational story and you will have the whole audience sobbing by the end. Also from a narrative stand point there is no real room for creativity, this is someones life you don't get to make the majority of it up. However, with this skepticism for the genre planted in me it makes it that much more impressive when I come out liking one. Here I am not without some qualms but for the most part this is a bio pic that takes risk, and therein lies achievement.

For example the convention would be to take one person and simply depict their obstacles and then show how that person overcame them. I think what this film does well is that it shows the obstacles but it does not go for the easy answer of success, it seems to shed light on failure as well making the movie less predictable in nature. Also the screenplay is truly the impetus of this whole film, there are none of the over done inspirational speeches that feel awkward and out of place in films about real people. Instead we have many specific moments that are given to us through everyday dialogue. That makes this whole story come down to a personal level.

In addition, the acting highlights the imperfections of each character which makes them all the more attainable to our sympathies. Daniel Day Lewis does an impeccable job committing his whole body to this role of Christy Brown, an artist and writer with cerebral palsy. You may say its easy to get an Oscar playing someone with a disability...well yes that's true but it's not easy to do and not easy to do well. Also the mother, played by Brenda Fricker, does a superb job of showing a realistic but hopeful woman who is able to raise those around her to their best.  

Some problems still exist namely, the soundtrack and the ending. I am waiting for the day that I watch an 80's film and I sit through the whole thing without cringing at the sound of poorly conceived music, but like I said I am still waiting, so this film did not end that mission.

Also the ending seemed to forget the whole focus of this film. This film was about Christy Brown in the context of his family, I feel like the end tried to make it out to be a romance driven story. It just seemed irrelevant in the scope of the movie.

Overall: A solid watch with some unforgettable character work, it wrapped up poorly and it is not a feast for the ears, but the message and the access to it is there. Also it is a great story about a remarkable life. Happy Watching!