Philomena

The Visible Woman...watches.

I saw Philomena the other day. I missed it in the Austin Film Festival but caught it at Violet Crown Cinema in Austin. It is an interesting story and the screen play worked pretty well but from what I read the real story (I haven't read the book, just some interviews with the real Philomena) wouldn't really play that well as a movie. They had to add some things to make it move. Like people going places they didn't go.

The story is basically this: Philomena got pregnant and was sent to a convent where she had her child and was forced to labor while nuns took care of the children and then, basically, sold them to people who could pay for them, often Americans. She sought her child with the help of a journalist after what would have been her boy's fiftieth birthday. She found him in a most unexpected place.

I am happy that the screenplay did not overturn the really pertinent facts about Philomena's son. Everyone should see if for a very human story told somewhat faithfully. And it should make you think twice about the current Pope's railing against the 'capitalist system' that hurts poor people.

I have given a lot of thought to birth mothers since I have a niece who was adopted as a baby. It's a long story and I won't say much about it in a public place except that I don't think her birth mother ever had another child. Philomena however did have children later.