An Involving, Sometimes Brutal Story

Rating: 6/10 (10 October 2006)

I might have rated this higher had Emma Thompson had a bigger role. I am a fan of hers, plus I think most people would agree she's an excellent actress, so it was disappointment to see her appear much until the last 15 minutes of the film. That's especially misleading when she gets second or third billing in this movie.
Nonetheless, it's an involving true-story of an Irishman, his dad and some of their relatives who are all sent to prison for a bombing they had nothing to do with. Filmmakers LOVE these kind of stories in which they can make their country and police into the bad guys. Here, the British look bad - very bad - as they railroad "Gerry Conlon" (Daniel-Day Lewis). The latter makes a convincing hot-headed Irishman, but he's no killer. The tone of the movie softens not in the last half hour as Lewis' character begins to appreciate his father. Until then, it's a rough film that is not always easy to watch and hear because of the accents, some police brutality and corruptness and general group of nasty characters.
By the way, despite the billing, Pete Postlewaite is the second star of the film. He doesn't get the recognition he deserves for his acting contribution in this movie.