An addictive story with breath taking performances make for a quality film

Rating: 8/10 (11 September 2006)

In the name of the father is the story of Gerry and Giuseppe Conlon, a father and son who along with nine other innocents, were wrongly accused and convicted in relation to the Guildford Bombings in 1974. Gerry Conlon became apart of a group that were known world wide as the Guildford Four and Giuseppe became apart of a group that were lesser known as the Maguire Seven. In the Name of the Father is set during the time that relations between England and Ireland were most strained.
The film begins in 1974 Belfast and it immediately establishes Gerry's character as a tearaway. He is a tearaway for many reasons too many to list in this comment but it is evident that one of the reasons that he refuses to lie down and become like his father. His father Giuseppe is a likable man. A loving father whose hard work to provide for his family during a time where Catholics had no rights results in him developing severe asthma. When Gerry is blamed with his friends Paul Hill, Paddy Armstrong and Carol Richards for the Guildford Pub bombing, Giuseppe drops everything and goes to London to help his son. When staying with his relations the Maguire's he is also picked up and charged with them for being involved in Terrorist activity. They are found guilty and sentenced. Gerry receives life and Giuseppe get 14 years. While in prison the turbulent relationship between Gerry and his father worsens to the point where they are not speaking. Despite their natural stormy relation ship this situation is worsened by the arrival of Joe McAndrew who is the real Guildford Bomber. In McAndrews, Gerry sees the man who his father should be. A man that is a fighter and who does not take things lying down as opposed to quiet conservative Giuseppe who has turned his cheek all his life and has been repaid in bad health for it. But as time goes by and maturity sets in, Gerry revises his opinion on Giuseppe and discovers that he always will have a friend in his father. The final chapter sees Gerry discarding his troublesome persona in favor of one that is similar to his fathers and together begin to fight to clear their names.
This film was Jim Sheridan's first in relation to the situation that had engulfed Northern Ireland and to be honest it is his best so far. Sheridan once again uses an addictive storyline (father and son in miscarriage of justice) to further investigate the theme of father/son relations. Despite it's political setting and use of ethnic sides to tell the story what Sheridan wants us to asses is the relationship between Gerry Conlon and his father and how Gerry's resistance to become like his father leads to his downfall but it is through the worst part of his life that he gets to know his father properly. Through the claustrophobic atmosphere of their prison cell Gerry realizes that he has more in common with his father and despite past arguments Giuseppe becomes not only his father again but his best friend.
Day-Lewis is on form yet again with his performance and I have yet to see him in a film where he does not give a solid performance. This time he has the very strong support from Postlewaithe as his father Giuseppe. Postlewaithe is superb as the ill Giuseppe who never gives up hope. Emma Thompson is someone I have been very keen on. But in this film she delivers a spectacular performance and like Posthlewaithe it is worthy of the Oscar nomination they received and in both cases they should have won. Sheridan must also be praised for his script and direction of this film. He took a story that at the time was still sore on the minds of both the Irish and British people. It was also a time where the situation in Northern Ireland looked as if it would never stop and the films release could further the cause of fighting for both paramilitary sides. It did however make the world sit up and pay attention because every country has had at some time a severe miscarriage of justice.
If you want facts about the cases of the Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven I suggest you don't watch this film. At the time of it's release it was heavily accused of not painting an accurate description of the case but the reality is that if you want details the film would not run at just over two hours but it would run for 15 years. I suggest you ask your local television stations to commission a Docu-Drama. This story is about the Conlon's. If I had faults with it I would say that my biggest hate of this film is the republican bomber Joe McAndrews. It is a very wooden performance that is down to bad acting and nothing else. He is too open about the whole affair which leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. If all Republican terrorists talked and acted like this the troubles of Northern Ireland would have lasted 10 minutes. There is a saying in Ireland that those who talk about it, no the least about it. On a whole it is very unbelievable. But despite this the film is very good, hard going to watch and very hard to walk away from without having some emotions evoked inside you. 8 out of 10.