Philomena (2013)

Cast

Charlie Murphy
as Kathleen
Judi Dench
as Philomena
Michelle Fairley
as Sally Mitchell
Mare Winningham
as Mary

Get more information about Philomena (2013) on IMDb

Genres & Description

Action Biography Drama

7.6 / 10

When former journalist Martin Sixsmith is dismissed from the Labour Party in disgrace, he is at a loss as to what do. That changes when a young Irish woman approaches him about a story of her mother, Philomena, who had her son taken away when she was a teenage inmate of a Catholic convent. Martin arranges a magazine assignment about her search for him that eventually leads to America. Along the way, Martin and Philomena discover as much about each other as about her son's fate. Furthermore, both find their basic beliefs challenged.

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Comments on this trailer
Comments may include spoiler!

Falconer Omen

In Ireland after independence the Church had unusual amounts of temporal power compared to Britain or the US. The government was broke so it handed social services, education and healthcare to the Church. The nuns vow of poverty doesn't fit well with them selling babies to US couples, or their big trust funds where they hide money from compensation claims of victims. I don't think the Good Sheperd Sisters is prepared to pay out. - @Saturday, July 7, 2018 9:29 PM

David#323

Philomena's son Anthony, contacted the nuns to search for his mother. The nuns tried to distance themselves from their original stance that they took the babies away because the unwed mothers were immoral sinners. The nuns chose to present a saintly image of themselves as caring for abandoned babies and that Philomena had not wanted her child. The way that nuns will lie and damage others is not only from a past bygone era. It still happens today, as I found out. I had worked at a school run by Sisters of Mercy nuns. A cover up needed to take place so a false report was placed in my file to transfer blame to me. And it did not stop there. Another clearly false report was made to discredit me by linking me as a suspect in the abduction and murder of a young girl. If you wish to read my story google white lies test blog and google innuendo test blog - @Sunday, October 16, 2016 1:52 PM

David#323

The Catholics turned on the young women for being immoral and made them outcasts in a most cruel way. So in that situation you would expect the priests to not abuse the children in the institutions. But from reports the abuse in Ireland and the cover ups were near the worst in the world - @Thursday, October 13, 2016 7:07 AM

Adam Martin

Excellent movie, very moving. Everyone should watch this. - @Sunday, August 28, 2016 7:21 AM

43nostromo

Em, Philomena vhat ees dees? What ees dees Philomena? - @Monday, June 20, 2016 9:59 PM

Cary Villacis

This is a wonderful movie. She is strong and her soul is far to feel rancor or take revenge. Really recommend it - @Monday, May 9, 2016 2:44 PM

A2CJ4VR

Stephanie I thought the same thing ~ This is an awesome movie excellently produced and filmed ~ - @Tuesday, May 3, 2016 7:38 PM

michael andrews

finally watched this...so sad.=( i was hoping theyd finally see each other. stupid church - @Wednesday, January 27, 2016 7:52 PM

Stephanie Young

that nun was PISSED she never got the D LOL - @Wednesday, November 18, 2015 3:53 PM

Stephanie Young

I wished the guy was her son all along LOL - @Wednesday, November 18, 2015 3:49 PM

Kyle Oxenham

From the director of Dangerous Liaisons, The Grifters, High Fidelity and The Queen. - @Sunday, November 15, 2015 6:44 AM

Spencer Woodhouse

This movie will tear a hole through your soul, drain you of every tear you have left in your body, and set up residence in your mind. What genius. I'd like to meet everyone that made this film and thank them. Their use of dramatic action to convey what lesser talents would spend dozens of script pages of dialogue to explain was, I can't put it into words, just, as perfect as you can get in an imperfect world. The legendary Robert McKeee could use it as a poster child for his teachings. Watch this movie. If your a laymen, you'll love it, if you're a writer, an artist of any kind, you'll see the gift we all search for, the level of talent we all hope for. As a writer myself, someone who's trying to put his own film together, I beg the universe to unite this posting and anyone involved in making this film in hopes that such mastery could be brought to my own project. Spencer Woodhouse https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1290487230/film-entitled-the-quest-for-perpetual-bliss/description - @Friday, November 6, 2015 10:36 PM

lorettalynn Davis

OMG I loved this movie!!!!!!!!!!!Judi Dench, and Steve Coogan rule!! - @Wednesday, September 30, 2015 9:47 AM

ando1135

the real sin is her parents for naming her 'philomena' so sad....had me in tears when i found out it was her name. - @Sunday, May 24, 2015 4:35 AM

Vineca Gray

Finally got the DVD! Looking forward to this very much. How apropos - weekend of Mother's Day observance. This is for all the moms of the world. - @Saturday, May 9, 2015 10:01 PM

aries4961

this movie made me realize, again how evil people can be. i was so enraged with anger about the way they took these young girls children without their knowledge and gave them to other people for money. i dont think i would have been so forgiving to that nun in the movie that was the main villain for philomena not seeing her son. that part tugged at my heartstings. i would like to show this to my wayward children just to see their reaction for better or for worse. maybe it would make them change their evil ways towards me as their mom that did everything for them and their father did not but they love the ground he walked on & give me no love at all. - @Monday, March 2, 2015 7:15 PM

F T

thats my name. - @Friday, February 27, 2015 7:00 AM

Andrew Merino

This movie really stroke a cord on me. It made me incredibly emotional and it was moving. This is definitely a great movie. - @Saturday, January 24, 2015 6:59 AM

Rocoto727

"Fuc king Catholic church" is a gross understatement. - @Wednesday, January 14, 2015 2:24 PM

Clive Wilson

I bought this DVD the other day and watched it as I am a big fan of Judi Dench and admit I enjoyed it. It was slightly strange seeing her play a somewhat comedic role but the storyline was fantastic. I am so glad the catholic church is going through such a crisis at the present time as they have many sins to answer for. I thought Steve Coogan was great in it too - @Sunday, January 11, 2015 10:14 PM

Matt Fritz

One of the best movies I've ever seen!! - @Saturday, January 10, 2015 7:27 AM

NICHOLLTRON

What's the ending song of the trailer, please? - @Thursday, January 8, 2015 11:57 PM

manuel Inacio

So the guy with aids lived in WA, worked under the Reagan administration and stuff? Seems like the right place for him to live at least - @Friday, September 26, 2014 9:25 PM

Emma Louise

I desperately want to watch this film! Looks like a beautiful combination of comedy, heartbreak and amazing acting - @Friday, August 15, 2014 8:50 PM

Carolina Elizalde

Big Judi Dench fan....I love everything she does. Can´t wait to see the movie. - @Thursday, July 17, 2014 10:11 PM

Jeff Kiper

A richly woven tapestry of human emotions. An emotionally rewarding film for the patient viewer. Judi Dench is a treasure to watch. Why can't Hollywood churn out more intelligently written and acted films like this? - @Sunday, July 13, 2014 11:59 PM

TRAPPER JOHNSON

Ok movie. Dame Judy, (The English Meryl Streep in my opinion) gives a very touching believable performance... interesting story. Played more like a television movie more so than a feature film. *** stars. I wouldn't watch it again. - @Saturday, May 24, 2014 9:58 AM

phyllis rothwell

If I see any of those nuns when I get to Heaven, I'm leaving. This movie is outstanding. - @Saturday, May 10, 2014 6:21 AM

Carolina Calderón

It's amazing something like this happen over the world, please check this documentary of the Latina Philomena story. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1707992001/imaginary-mothers-a-philomena-story-in-latin-ameri?ref=live We need the support of people to complete this project that started 5 year ago. Please visit the link, if possible donate and share it so more people can give their support. The ladies in the story and the rest of the team would appreciate it! Thanks! - @Friday, April 11, 2014 1:47 AM

mrfoltz

I can't believe that fucking Gravity movie won a bunch of awards and this Womyn and this movie didn't win an Oscar... Fuck the Oscars! - @Thursday, April 3, 2014 9:12 AM

MrBabies123

I watched this two days ago. Appalling how the Catholic church behaved. I am so glad to see them going through so much crisis nowadays. Should have happened a long time ago. So much for the young women being "indecent". I hate to think how many indecent priests there were at the time and wonder how many of those in the holier than though, pious and thoroughly two faced Catholic church knew about this and just sat back and did nothing. Applies equally to other religions as well. - @Tuesday, April 1, 2014 3:20 PM

Peter Travere

It's a good job nuns don't have children, they would breastfeed them acid - evil subhumans. I heard a story of a nun been impregnated by a dog (Nazi punishment), in occupied Poland - the poor dog must have thought she was a bitch too! - @Friday, March 28, 2014 7:58 PM

Fahad Rehan

AMAZING STORY OSCAR DESERVING - @Sunday, March 23, 2014 1:31 PM

drkwiatek

is she still alive...nooooo!!! - @Tuesday, March 18, 2014 3:49 PM

Christina Auer

Also, I was trying to say that what happened to her was the definition of slut-shaming. - @Wednesday, March 12, 2014 3:53 AM

iHatebologna59

Should have won best picture. - @Saturday, March 8, 2014 2:43 PM

Christina Sivori

haven't watched this movie but as I was told it says she says he was taken away from her but she gave him up to the convent he was raised by the nuns then later he died of aides so this is not true - @Monday, March 3, 2014 8:40 PM

KinGDmX007

i hate that james bond slut - @Wednesday, February 26, 2014 7:29 PM

jimeca

TRUE history... amazing history.... unbelieveable.. - @Monday, February 24, 2014 1:57 AM

Charlie Wash

People actually watched this movie - @Sunday, February 23, 2014 12:52 PM

dflartist

I cant believe judy dench has not won all of the awards this year (and there are far too many) cate blanchet is good but Philomena was amazing! it must be about money - @Monday, February 17, 2014 12:53 PM

Oriana Pol

Excellent movie great actors Catholic church in Ireland made awful things. Even my grand mother who said to a priest that having 7 kids was hard enough to raise and he answered her that it was good will and and condemned her and the 5 next generation to come to suffer because she was complaining. She was just expressing herself.... Is this a Catholic way of thinking ? Magdalene sisters are not even better I love Ireland I love the country I grew up in and I miss it but when I see that I feel ashamed. The entire world talks about what the nazis did with Jews which is of course inexcusable, but massacres in Ireland lasted for centuries it's time for the church to open its archives and ask for forgiveness to all these persons who suffered... - @Saturday, February 15, 2014 9:36 AM

Marianna M

The Roman Catholic Church is being targeted yet again. Surprised? I am not. Every single religion has made mistakes, because humans make mistakes. Humans do bad things sometimes. However, we only hear of the RC Church's errors. Mainstream media needs to get some new material. - @Saturday, February 8, 2014 3:23 AM

jigsawzoubir

Just saw the movie and I think it's time to give dame Dench a damn oscar. - @Wednesday, February 5, 2014 8:24 PM

Parasmunt

I think the British exported something like 100,000 kids forcefully to Australia in the 20thC and they weren't religious. Lots of stories far far more serious than the instances of Catholic abuses will never ever be told, but Catholic abuses suit the agenda of those who fund movies and books etc. - @Tuesday, February 4, 2014 1:02 AM

Christina Auer

Hi, sorry for the misunderstanding. I was saying that the nuns in that specific instance slut-shamed those women. I like to think of myself as an egalitarian. I have long hair, roughly down to my waist, but, I plan to donate it to Wigs for Kids (an organization that provides wigs for children with illnesses that cause them to be unable to grow their own hair) real soon. I kinda despise the idea of women being considered better than men, but, I also kinda despise the reverse concept. What about you? - @Thursday, January 30, 2014 9:58 PM

Christina Auer

@bp56789-to answer your other questions, I'm an egalitarian, not a feminist. I don't hate men, nor do I believe that women should have more opportunities than men. I believe in equality. Also, my hair is down to my waist. I intend to donate it to an organization that makes wigs for children who can't grow their own, but, right now, my long hair hides my chins. Lol - @Thursday, January 30, 2014 12:22 PM

Christina Auer

@bp56789-sorry for the mix-up. I was saying that Philomena was slut-shamed due to her culture. I'm sorry I was unclear. On another note, this is one of the best films I've seen in A WHILE! I laughed, I cried, it was incredible! - @Thursday, January 30, 2014 12:04 PM

Christina Auer

This story is the definition of slut-shaming. - @Sunday, January 26, 2014 2:58 AM

CatLady 2.0

fucking nuns. looks like a great movie, probably a tear jerker - @Monday, January 20, 2014 1:29 PM