This film is about the life of Christy Brown--a man who, despite being almost completely disabled, was able to make something of himself and prove that every life is of value. When he was born in 1932, doctors recommended to his parents that Christy be placed in a home for the disabled--in other words, a 'warehouse' where he would have been dumped. However, despite his severe cerebral palsy, his parents brought him home and raised him despite the odds--a real oddity for that period of time. 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. While Daniel Day-Lewis received the Oscar for his great and very realistic portrayal of Brown, I am not sure why the child who played Brown as a child didn't get some sort of recognition--as he was great also. And, I especially appreciated it because too often child actors are, to put it bluntly, terrible. Yet, Hugh O'Conor was every bit as wonderful as Day-Lewis.
On the other hand, once again, the history teacher in me strikes again. As I watched this biopic about the Irish author/painter Christy Brown, I couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed that the ending painted a completely false picture of the man's final years. In this Hollywood-like ending, Brown apparently has a very happy final years. However, this was NOT at all true---and his final years were quite pathetic--filled with alcoholism and an an early death. I really don't think the film needed the happy ending and knocked a point off for this.
Still, overall an exceptional film--one well worth your time.
When you watch the film, you will marvel at the acting. While Daniel Day-Lewis received the Oscar for his great and very realistic portrayal of Brown, I am not sure why the child who played Brown as a child didn't get some sort of recognition--as he was great also. And, I especially appreciated it because too often child actors are, to put it bluntly, terrible. Yet, Hugh O'Conor was every bit as wonderful as Day-Lewis.
On the other hand, once again, the history teacher in me strikes again. As I watched this biopic about the Irish author/painter Christy Brown, I couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed that the ending painted a completely false picture of the man's final years. In this Hollywood-like ending, Brown apparently has a very happy final years. However, this was NOT at all true---and his final years were quite pathetic--filled with alcoholism and an an early death. I really don't think the film needed the happy ending and knocked a point off for this.
Still, overall an exceptional film--one well worth your time.