Evelyn (2002)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Bruce Beresford

Writer:

Paul Pender (written by)

Release Date:

21 March 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The story of a father's love that changed a nation

Plot:

Desmond Doyle is devastated when his wife abandons their family on the day after Christmas. His unemployment...

Plot Keywords:

Catholic Church | Catholic | Christmas | Unemployment | Drunk Driving

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Sophie Vavasseur	...	Evelyn Doyle
Niall Beagan	...	Dermot Doyle
Hugh McDonagh	...	Maurice Doyle (as Hugh Macdonagh)
Pierce Brosnan	...	Desmond Doyle
Mairead Devlin	...	Charlotte Doyle
Frank Kelly	...	Henry Doyle
Claire Mullan	...	Mrs. Daisley
Alvaro Lucchesi	...	Inspector Logan
Garrett Keogh	...	District Judge
Daithi O'Suilleabhain	...	Brother Eustace (as Daithi O'Suillebhain)
Andrea Irvine	...	Sister Brigid
Marian Quinn	...	Sister Theresa
Karen Ardiff	...	Sister Felicity
Julianna Margulies	...	Bernadette Beattie
Bosco Hogan	...	Father O'Malley

Also Known As:

Ein Vater kämpft um seine Kinder (Germany) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic material and language.

Runtime:

94 min | USA:95 min (TV version)

Country:

Germany | Ireland | USA | UK | Netherlands

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | South Korea:All | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

CineEvelyn

Trivia:

Evelyn's mother is said to have gone to Australia with her lover, but in reality, she went to England and ended up raising another family there. The real Evelyn eventually saw her mother on more than one occasion, but they never reconciled.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The movie, set in the 1950s, features Irish television. Ireland's television station RTE was established on New Years Day 1962.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dermot Doyle: Evelyn, did Jesus have a big sister?
Evelyn Doyle: No Dermot, he wasn't as lucky as you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Evelyn: Behind the Scenes (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

On the Banks of the Roses

Very Touching, Involving Story

This is a wonderful movie.

I admit this movie is manipulative, and probably exaggerated for purposes of drama, but what based-on-a-true story movies aren't? At least it goes after the right things: a father having custody of his kids, rather than them being forced to live in an "institution."

The story is based a true situation in the mid 1950s Ireland in which, in the end, the Irish Constitution was amended because of this case. "Desmond Doyle" (Pierce Brosnan) is the loving father whose wife runs off one day with another man, leaving him with three little kids and little visible means of support. Since he didn't have enough finances, the government makes the kids wards of the state and places them in Catholic schools-homes (institutions?).

On that Catholic, or "religious," angle, you get a lot of positive and negative scenes here. You have a bad, nasty almost sadistic nun "Sister Brigid," but the others are fine caring ladies, as they should be. Overall, however, you see a lot of faith portrayed in this film and it's mostly good. Of course, that faith was more out in the open in the '50s than today, but it was inspiring to see in many parts.

Brosnan is excellent in the lead role, a man everyone can identify with: a loving but flawed man. He drinks too much, he swears, he doesn't have a steady job but he has great heart and has great determination to the right thing. One has no trouble rooting for him in this story. I think it's the best role he has ever played, far better than his superficial James Bond or thieves roles he normally plays.But nobody hits you as emotionally as little Evelyn (Sophie Vavasseur), one of Doyle's three kids and the one that is focused upon here. (The two little brothers are not given much screen time, for some reason.) Brosnan's allies in here - the two lawyers (played by Stephen Rea and Aiden Quinn) are likable as is Alan Bates who plays a rugged ex-barrister who winds up helping the team. Bates might have had the best role for the supporting actors.

This is such an involving story, one that you really care about the people, it can bring a tear or two in the end, but what's wrong with that? When you are finished watching this film, you feel good.