Terrifying but biased premise with a superb performance by Pete Postlethwaite

Rating: 8/10 (1 December 2012)

A movie not without its flaws with a biased unidimensional perspective based on the biography by Gerry Conlon one of the accused from Guildford Four. While the overall story is commercialized and worked around for dramatic effect, Pete Postlethwaite's performance as the protagonist's father was too good in some scenes. Though it is competently performed, well written and executed, the battle is already half won with just the knowledge on the premise and the ordeal the Guildford four and Maguire seven have been through in real life.
Based on real life events following Gerald Conlon ( Daniel Day-Lewis) a carefree wild youth who is accused of the Guildford bombing and imprisoned after coerced confession. This leads to arrests of his aunt's family infamously known as the Maguire Seven along with his father Guiseppe Conlon (Pete Postlethwaite), a just man trying to protect his son. After his father's death due to harsh prison environment and depression, he vows to fight back on the system with the help of a convinced lawyer Gareth Peirce (Emma Thompson).
The initial riot sequence was exhilarating pepped by a solid background score and hysterical atmosphere. The arrests, torture, trial and sentences leaves an emotional impact on the unjust treatment and fate of all the accused and some performances here are to be commended. But Pete Postlethwaite's portrayal of Conlon's father breaks the shackles, elevates the emotional depth in the movies and justifies the title. The initial scene where Guiseppe pleads the IRA men to forgive his son, the expression on his face when Gerald returns from England, the conversations inside the prison cell and the scene just before he dies are a few examples of his masterful performance. I can understand at a biographical point of view for a very biased approach, but as a movie which deals with other characters as well should have shown some elements of thoughts leading up to the characters in the system do what they do. Daniel Day-Lewis is reliable as ever playing a real-life character that goes through a transformation from an energetic wild youth to an introspective determined son.
Terrifying but biased premise with a superb performance by Pete Postlethwaite