Philomena: Eine Mutter sucht ihren Sohn (2013)

Philomena: Eine Mutter sucht ihren Sohn: Directed by Stephen Frears. With Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Mare Winningham. A world-weary political journalist picks up the story of a woman’s search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent.

“This is the second film installment that I am aware of in this detective drama, following on from u0026quot;The Keeper of Lost Causesu0026quot;. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAt first glance the translated title, u0026quot;Killer of Pheasantsu0026quot;, seems somewhat misleading. In fact, its well chosen. Pheasants demonstrate sexual dimorphism. That is the males are brightly coloured, whilst the females are plain. The wealthy male sexual predators at the heart of this tale, like male pheasants, appear to have everything. They lead bright, shining, seemingly flawless lives. By contrast, their female collaborator turned victim, suffers a bleak life of dispossession, but as we see she is, ultimately, a better human being. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIndeed, this story is, arguably, as much about dispossession, as it is a crime story. It speaks to the destructive power of inequality and how money not only does not remedy human flaws but can, in fact, amplify them. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOf course, its also a good crime thriller, with many subtle and often oblique, plot shifts. It takes time for all the intricate pieces of the crime puzzle to come together but when they do, its a very satisfying experience. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe acting is outstanding. Nikolaj Lie Kaas skillfully reprises his role as Carl Morck. A socially awkward, self destructive but nonetheless brilliant, driven detective. Fares Fares returns as his long suffering but understanding partner, Assad. The comfortable chemistry between these two lead actors makes this film easy viewing. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe other cast members, including the key villains of the piece, are well chosen and able actors who fit snugly into their respective roles. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor some people, possibly the only shortcoming, may be the sexual violence inherent in the film. If you are of a sensitive disposition you may want to give this film a pass. That said, if you are not perturbed by the violence or the subtitles, this film is a must see. Ten out of ten from me.”