In the Name of the Father film review

Review

Cast & crew

In the Name of the Father

(1993)

This is a stirring and exceptionally well acted, though controversial, dramatisation of Gerry Conlon's book about the grave miscarriage of justice suffered by the Guildford Four. Daniel Day-Lewis is highly impressive as Conlon, a naive young Irishman who couldn't blow his own hat off, arrested by the police for terrorist bombings along with three equally unlikely individuals. The rest, as they say, is history and, as directed by Jim Sheridan, who worked with Day-Lewis on My Left Foot, the story still packs an enormous dramatic punch. Pete Postlethwaite is brilliant as Conlon's bemused and hapless father, and the only false note is struck by Emma Thompson, who's hopelessly miscast (albeit Oscar-nominated) as the Four's solicitor. Don't miss. SH

Contains drug abuse, violence, swearing .

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Running time

127min

Country of origin

Ire / UK / US

Genre

Biographical Drama

Original language

English

Screenplay

Terry George, Jim Sheridan

Theatrical distributor

U.I.P. (UK)

UK cinema certificate




awards information


	Award	Category	Name	Nominee/Winner

	Academy 1993	Actor in a Leading Role	Daniel Day-Lewis	Nominee
	Academy 1993	Actor in a Supporting Role	Pete Postlethwaite	Nominee
	Academy 1993	Actress in a Supporting Role	Emma Thompson	Nominee
	Academy 1993	Best Picture		Nominee
	Academy 1993	Directing	Jim Sheridan	Nominee
	Academy 1993	Writing (Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published)	Terry George	Nominee
	Academy 1993	Writing (Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published)	Jim Sheridan	Nominee
	BAFTA 1993	Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role	Daniel Day-Lewis	Nominee
	BAFTA 1993	Best Screenplay (Adapted)	Terry George	Nominee
	BAFTA 1993	Best Screenplay (Adapted)	Jim Sheridan	Nominee
	Berlin 1994	Golden Berlin Bear		Winner