It's 1953 Dublin, Ireland. Desmond Doyle (Pierce Brosnan)'s wife runs away with another man abandoning their three kids. He is unemployed and his mother-in-law reports him to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The court takes Evelyn, Dermot and Maurice away to Catholic orphanages. Barmaid Bernadette Beattie (Julianna Margulies) sends him to her lawyer brother Michael (Stephen Rea). Evelyn gets hit by brutal Sister Brigid. Desmond cleans up his act and starts working. However, he's now required to get the consent of his wife. Nick Barron (Aidan Quinn) is Bernadette's American suitor.
It's an interesting story done with straight forward sentimentality. Little Evelyn is probably the most compelling character but this is more Pierce Brosnan's movie. At times, the movie gets stale with the David and Goliath legal battle. There is nothing surprising or terribly original in that. Sophie Vavasseur really wins in this movie but it just means that the movie misses her when it goes away from her. Desmond is not necessarily that sympathetic. He's a drunk and I get the sense that his story is whitewashed a bit.
It's an interesting story done with straight forward sentimentality. Little Evelyn is probably the most compelling character but this is more Pierce Brosnan's movie. At times, the movie gets stale with the David and Goliath legal battle. There is nothing surprising or terribly original in that. Sophie Vavasseur really wins in this movie but it just means that the movie misses her when it goes away from her. Desmond is not necessarily that sympathetic. He's a drunk and I get the sense that his story is whitewashed a bit.