My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown

Plot synopsis:
The film opens with Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis), who has cerebral palsy, being taken to a charity event, where he meets his handler, a nurse named Mary Carr. She begins reading his autobiography. Christy could not walk or talk, but still received love and support from his family, especially his mother. One day when he was still a young boy, Christy was the only one home to see his mother fall down a flight of stairs while in labor, and he was able to alert some neighbors and summon them over to help. His father, who had never really believed in him, becomes a supporter the day nine- or 10-year-old Christy uses his left foot, the only body part he can fully control, to write the word "mother" on the floor with a piece of yellow chalk.
Consequently, Christy seeks a hobby in painting. The neighborhood youngsters include him in their activities, like street football. But when he paints a picture and gives it to a girl he likes, she returns it. When his father loses his job and the family faces exceptionally difficult hardships, Christy devises a plan to help his brothers steal coal (to their mother's dismay). His older sister, who was always very nice to him, gets pregnant and must marry and leave home. Christy's mother, who had been gradually gathering some savings in a tin in the fireplace, finally saves enough to buy him a wheelchair.
Christy meets Dr. Eileen Cole, who takes him to her school for cerebral palsy patients and persuades a friend of hers to hold an exhibition of his work. Christy falls in love with Dr. Cole, but when he learned during the dinner that she is engaged to be married, he considers suicide. His mother helps him build a private studio for himself, but soon afterward his father dies of a stroke, and during the wake Christy instigates a brawl. At this point, Christy starts writing his autobiography, My Left Foot. Dr. Cole returns and they resume their friendship. Meanwhile, at the fete, Christy asks Mary Carr to go out with him and they leave the fete together.

Tags: romantic, flashback

Review:
When he finished writing that one word, we all knew that we had witnessed not one but three triumphs - the triumph of a human will and spirit, the triumph of the cinema which was able to capture the moment like this on the film, and the triumph of an actor who did not act but who became his character.Jim Sheridan's "My Left Foot" is an riveting, unsentimental bio-drama about Christy Brown, the man who was born with cerebral palsy in a Dublin slum; who became an artist and a writer and who found a love of his life.I like every one of Day Lewis's performances (I have mixed feelings about his performance in GONY) but I believe that his greatest role was Christy Brown in "My Left Foot".
Daniel Day-Lewis' almost impossible performance as a man with cerebral palsy earned him a well-deserved Oscar in 1989 for Best Actor over the heavily favoured Tom Cruise in 'Born on the Fourth of July' and Morgan Freeman in 'Driving Miss Daisy'.
The story follows Christy from his birth until has later years when he eventually gained fame for his art as well as his autobiography, "My Left Foot"--named that because it was his only usable limb.When you watch the film, you will marvel at the acting.
'My Left Foot' is the remarkable story of Christy Brown, born into a working-class Irish family with cerebral palsy.
Using his left foot, the only part of his body he had proper control over, the young man learned to write and paint.I could spend this review talking about the film's excellent portrayal of working class Ireland, and the working class Irish family specifically.
The most important thing about this movie is the brilliant performance by Daniel Day-Lewis and Hugh O'Conor as Christy Brown, guineas artist and fighter who despite of her physical condition overcame all the odds.
This film is brilliant and I have a massive amount of praise for Daniel  Day-Lewis who portrays Christy as an angry young man who is coming to  terms with everything in his life.
Born with cerebral palsy, the story goes from his tough childhood to his even tougher adulthood where he becomes an expert writer and painter despite the fact he only has mobility with his left foot.Now on to Daniel Day-Lewis.
Also, I must single out Brenda Fricker in this role as Christy's mother because she does such an amazing job.Overall, My Left Foot is a wonderful film that tells a story of a condition that many people must suffer through.
And even though the film doesn't have anything else to offer, the performances are strong enough to keep the viewers engaged.Based on the autobiography of the same name, My Left Foot tells the story of Christy Brown; an Irishman who was born with cerebral palsy but despite his handicap went on to become an artist & writer, all with the help of the only thing he could fully control: his left foot.
The film covers his upbringing in a poor family, his daily struggles, discovery of new passions & also his stint with love.Wonderfully directed by Jim Sheridan, the film is heartwarming & heartbreaking at the same time, and is an inspiring insight into the life of Christy Brown that makes the viewers go through various emotions, but pity isn't one of them.
And last we have Hugh O'Connor who is as good as Day-Lewis for his portrayal of young Christy Brown sets up a perfect stage for Day-Lewis to take over.On an overall scale, My Left Foot is a touching tale about the indomitable will of the human spirit to triumph against all odds, and succeeds mainly because of the unforgettable performances from its highly committed cast.
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS does a remarkable job of playing Christy Brown, the artist who grew up with cerebral palsy but managed to have a productive life, dealing successfully with his handicap and becoming a respected artist and writer.The film, however, is a very difficult one to review--or even watch.
While I respect it as a brave piece of work dealing with difficult subject matter, I can't say it's the sort of film I'd want to view more than once.Nevertheless, my attention was held by the story-telling device, a flashback framed by the present, in which we see Christy being honored for his achievements before we see the flashback to his youth and his struggles to communicate with those around him, who certainly gave him loving care.DANIEL DAY-LEWIS certainly is remarkable as the troubled man who falls in love with a therapist (FIONA SHAW), much to his mother's fear that when the love is not reciprocated his heart will be broken.
There's a painfully long scene in a restaurant where he confesses his love to her before others and then goes into a frenzied rage after drinking too much.BRENDA FRICKER does a brilliant job as the mother taking care of him, his father and a brood of siblings while struggling to keep a roof over their heads until Day-Lewis begins to have success with his work.
My left foot is an epic outstanding film explaining the life and times of Christy Brown,who had cerebral palsy,a severe disability and had only the use of his left foot,but he was defiant,he managed to become an artist and writer against all the oddsI have seen this film a lot of times and each time I see it,I find it equally brilliant each time.I wonder how did this amazing film not win an Oscer for best picture,It is a shambles by the academy awards.
Daniel Day-Lewis is Christy Brown, a victim of cerebral palsy who uses "My Left Foot" to write and paint in this incredible 1989 film.
Their brilliant performances, great script and wonderful direction by Jim Sheridan help to paint a vivid portrait of Christy Brown, an artist and writer who died in 1981 at the age of 49.Brown was born into a lower middle-class Catholic family where his mother was constantly pregnant (22 children in total, 13 of whom survived).
Also, before Mary, Christy had a 12-year relationship with the woman to whom he dedicated "My Left Foot." And the typical Hollywood ending, 9 years before his death where neglect by his wife may have been a factor, doesn't finish the story.Despite all of that, Christy Brown's biopic is incredibly powerful, all the more so because of two performances: Hugh O'Conor as young Christy and Daniel Day-Lewis as the adult Christy.
One is exhausted for him and heartbroken at the same time.And what can be said about Daniel Day-Lewis, one of the greatest actors in the world - he brings Christy totally to life, a fully fleshed out, intelligent human being capable of swearing, becoming angry, bitter, drunk, pushy, lecherous, funny and loving.
My Left Foot was the film that broke Daniel Day-Lewis into the spotlight, giving him his first of three Oscar wins and labelling him as one of the finest actors in the world.
It is a great story with some excellent writing based on a very inspirational man named Christy Brown, but said man is captured so expertly by Day-Lewis that everything else great about the movie is easily ignored.Regarded as being one of the most 'real' actors of all-time, Daniel Day- Lewis reportedly stayed in character throughout the filming process, some may criticize the approach, but when you watch him on the screen, you can tell that all the hard work paid off to the fullest extent.
The story of Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis), who was born with cerebral palsy.
He learned to paint and write with his only controllable limb -- his left foot.I have been a fan of Daniel Day-Lewis since seeing "Gangs of New York" and then began to realize how great he had been for a long time.
I have seen this film three times now, and each time I see it, it becomes more personal and more emotional to watch.The acting is amazing, which is not hard to believe since it is Daniel Day Lewis, who is an amazing actor.
Based on Christy Brown's autobiographical novel, this endearing film tells the story of his life, him being affected by cerebral palsy and being considered basically not a person by everyone including his mother.
Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker both won an Oscar for their efforts.The movie is about a real guy named Christy Brown, who, despite his severe handicap, wins a stubborn struggle for respect, love and the outside world's prejudice.
My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown is a great movie with a very well developed storyline and a very impressive cast.I thought this movie would be incredible but in wasn't nearly as good as I expected.I found it very boring at times,but Daniel Day-Lewis really made this movie what it is,his acting is incredible and inspired and he deserved the Academy Award for his performance,but I don't think Brenda Fricker did,I didn't find her performance that impressive.The movie did tell us the story of Christy Brown perfectly and put us in his position all the way through,but I am Irish,and I thought this movie would make me feel very proud of my country,other than Daniel Day-Lewis,it didn't really.If you enjoy dramatic biography movies and Daniel Day-Lewis,this movie certainly is a must see,but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought it would.Adaption of Christy Brown's autobiography of how he overcame cerebral palsy to become an artist and author..
Daniel Day-Lewis is so powerful that you could literally see his heart being blown into pieces, and the way the situation becomes more and more out of control, reveals a dark, almost creepy, side in his personality, a dependence to alcohol and an almost childish incapability to accept his condition, his heart suffers much more than the body, but who could blame him?The power of "My Left Foot" is to rather take an ordinary look of low-budgeted TV family drama rather than a grandiose Hollywood- type biopic, which fits the tone of the film.
The 'porridge' scene was also confusing because it tried to turn Mr. Brown into a real douche-bag while there were more scenes showing pride than animosity between him and Christy, and nothing to show a sort of complicity between Christy and his sister.Apart from these little details, "My Left Foot" tells a great story, about a great character, it's not perfect, but what the heck: humanity is full of remarkable examples of persons whose talent and hard work allow them to overcame their handicap and to communicate with the rest of the world and if it was not for Jim Sheridan's adaptation of the biographic book "My Left Foot" and for Daniel Day-Lewis' extraordinary performance, many of us wouldn't have heard of Christy Brown..
This performance from Daniel Day Lewis goes down as one of the most amazing performances of all time in my opinion.Christie a man who is only able to use one limb - his left foot.Amazingly, he learns how to write and paint with this foot.Watch out also for Brenda Frickers performance.She is absolutely outstanding as a caring mother who would do anything for her sonRATING - 9/10.
I had never seen such an incredible acting job in a motion picture as I did when I saw Daniel Day-Lewis play Christy Brown in My Left Foot.
He played the role of Christy Brown or at least disabled like him all through the filming of the movie and needed surgery because of the damage his superior acting had done to his back.
It's certainly a well made and competent film, but it's clear that the bulk of its success rests on the shoulders of Daniel Day-Lewis, who immerses himself in the role of Cristy Brown, a man living with cerebral palsy.
My Rating : 8/10I've read a lot of crazy stories about how Daniel Day-Lewis always stayed in character during the making of the film and I absolutely love that level of intensity and dedication to one's craft.This is no doubt one of the best acting performances I've ever seen by the master himself.
Both Sheridan and Day-Lewis would later work on "In the Name of the Father", another fantastic Irish-themed drama with similar emphasis on human emotions and gritty authentic performances."My Left Foot" gives us brash honesty; we are left admiring Christy Brown and reminded of the importance of family.
The relationship of Christy and his mother is a special one and the way the film shows a person with cerebral palsy doing all he can to live a normal life, is inspiring.
But back to my main point, it was this inner struggle that kept the character of Christy Brown both fascinating and extremely empathetic.I have the feeling that Daniel Day-Lewis' role in this film is one that will be talked about and studied for years to come.
Actor/chameleon Daniel Day-Lewis gives an award-winning performance as Christy Brown, the physically disabled (but mentally gifted) artist and writer, who overcame both a debilitating handicap and the social disadvantage of a working-class environment using the only functioning limb at his disposal.
My Left foot is a touching story about the life of Christie Brown, a very talented author, painter and poet who had severe cerebral palsy.
There are also brilliant performances from Huge O'Conor who plays young Christie in one of the best scenes in the film where he first uses his left foot to write and not to mention Brenda Fricker who also picked up an Oscar for he heartfelt portrayal of Brown's loving mother.
Day-Lewis probably would have won anyway as his performance was hard to ignore and he had never received any acting nominations from the Academy before this film despite turning in great work in such films as 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' and 'My Beautiful Laundrette.'As Christy Brown, Daniel Day-Lewis makes his character unsympathetic as he doesn't want you to feel sorry for him.
Day-Lewis probably would have won anyway as his performance was hard to ignore and he had never received any acting nominations from the Academy before this film despite turning in great work in such films as 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' and 'My Beautiful Laundrette.'As Christy Brown, Daniel Day-Lewis makes his character unsympathetic as he doesn't want you to feel sorry for him.
Director Jim Sheridan directs the film like a series of home movies that millions want to see.Brenda Fricker won the Oscar as Best Supporting Actress as Brown's mother and she is the real moral centre of the film and this film proves that Hollywood is capable of choosing small, lesser known films for Oscar consideration and 'My Left Foot' is a film that is uplifting without being sentimental..
Director Jim Sheridan directs the film like a series of home movies that millions want to see.Brenda Fricker won the Oscar as Best Supporting Actress as Brown's mother and she is the real moral centre of the film and this film proves that Hollywood is capable of choosing small, lesser known films for Oscar consideration and 'My Left Foot' is a film that is uplifting without being sentimental..
He plays Christy Brown, a man born with Cerebral Palsy, who is only able to move his neck and his left foot (more like his left leg actually.) This alone is an incredible task on Daniel Day-Lewis' part, having to confine his acting to almost complete paralysis, while gaining remarkable control of his foot, but he also had the inability to talk.
Supporting actors are rather difficult to concentrate on in a movie like this, but Brenda Fricker, who played Christy Brown's loving and loyal mother, gave a very good performance, winning herself an Oscar.
However, Daniel Day-Lewis was the focus of this movie, and he has proved himself to be one of the greatest actors of our time, and definitely my favorite.Jim Sheridan, who has been nominated for six Oscars (two for my Left Foot,) wrote and directed this picture.
Mainly, I just felt that I hadn't seen enough of Christy Brown when the movie finished, when honestly I could have watched Daniel Day-Lewis' performance for many hours before getting tired or bored.
I wasn't at all impressed with the directing in this movie, but Daniel Day-Lewis' transformation into Christy Brown was in the end what made this movie an incredible watch.I was torn with this film, I was very disappointed by the directing and writing, but was completely blown away by the acting.
Day-Lewis is crippled author and painter Christy Brown, and he won the Oscar for best actor.
Daniel Day Lewis won an Oscar for his powerful, unforgettable performance as the flawed but tenacious Christy Brown, and Brenda Fricker did so as well for her supporting role as Brown's solid mother..
Oscar and BAFTA winning, and Golden Globe nominated Daniel Day-Lewis plays Christy Browna crippled man with cerebral palsy who spends most of his life on the floor, in a wheelchair and carried by his family.
Oscar and BAFTA winning, and Golden Globe nominated Daniel Day-Lewis plays Christy Browna crippled man with cerebral palsy who spends most of his life on the floor, in a wheelchair and carried by his family.
Daniel Day Lewis gives his best performance in My left foot, a wonderful film in which Lewis gave one of the most challenging performances I have ever seen: a man with cerebral palsy.
You've really never seen anything like it.My left foot tells the true story of Christy Brown, a scotsman with cerebral palsy.
Despite the brilliant performance of Daniel Day-Lewis, "My Left Foot" is a very disappointing film.In winning the Oscar, Lewis showed great depth and his mannerisms depicting a frustrated man paralyzed from cerebral palsy was amazing.I can't believe that Brenda Fricker was voted best supporting actress for her role as his devoted mother.