My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown (1989)

There's a pretty fine line between mimicry and acting, and acting that's natural and that which has been rehearsed to within an inch of it's life. I think it's very much the natural that Daniel Day-Lewis delivers here, as does Hugh O'Conor as his younger persona, as we learn of the upbringing of a young lad born with very limited movement and learning difficulties, but a mind that's clearly sharp and a face that's expressive. His family, a typically large one, is headed up by his dad (Ray McAnally) who presents us with a variation on the usual theme of father who comes home from work then hits the pub, then the family. He's ultimately a loving man who deeply cares for his young son, as does his mam (Brenda Fricker) who must juggle the plates of her other children, making ends meet and gradually understanding and providing for the stimulation that their young son "Christy" is clearly craving. It's moving but not in a sentimental way; it looks at an Irish society that can be hugely judgemental but also hugely kind. It personifies well the difficulties faced by many a working class family, even those with solely abled-bodied members; it questions some of the more traditional "Christian" values of a community and intimately tells us a touching story of achievement against the odds arrayed against a young man whose very survival isn't to be taken for granted. It's not a weepy, it's a positive celebration and well worth a watch - ideally on a big screen because the attention to the detail around this production and both McAnally and Fricker's equally as evocative performances as the title one all really do merit it.