My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown (1989)

one of his magnificent performances and one of the most impressive stories from the last decades of XX century cinema. this is the essence of a portrait about survive and about the image. and the great thing is the great performances of each actor. the humor. the air of family. the perseverance, fight against limits and about the verdict of the others. a masterpiece. this is the right word for define it. the motifs - many. each new view as new occasion to discover new and new ones.

Seriously you would ask yourself "Has Daniel Day-Lewis ever pulled any muscles on his face while filming?". He was brilliant for pulling it off and staying in character. He really showed and made me aware of the challenges a person with cerbal palsy can face! Like the most amazing thing I learned about the real Christy Brown, he painted with his life foot and Christ almighty, the paintings were absolutely out there! Man I wish I was able to paint like that especially using your left foot and never mind using both hands! However since I am not interested in painting, I think I'll pass on this haha. Also Brenda Fricker was excellent too by acting as a wonderful Irish mother who cared about Christy and never gave up on him! I tell ya, she was better than the other mothers on that street who called Christy an eejit for making "noises" while the mother was unconscious. I felt like I wanted to shake them and tell them to go look themselves in the mirror, disability is everywhere like! It was very shameful how disability was frowned upon during the 60's/70's. At least Brown proved them wrong and was successful in his art/writing career! Really good movie, just watch it, it really stands out well for an Irish film!

"This is Christy Brown, my son. Genius." Down-to-earth, funny and surprisingly entertaining while avoiding the lachrymose, this 1989 Irish drama film 'My Left Foot', or 'My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown', is based off of the said character's own 1954 autobiography, depicting the constant daily struggles of an intelligent individual imprisoned in a body with cerebral palsy. From newcomer director Jim Sheridan and Shane Connaughton adapting Brown's story to a screenplay, we see in the span of almost two hours the life of a uniquely astonishing man unfold from a boy to maturity to well-respected and celebrated Irishman. But does this film truly capture Brown's story as a genius despite him being a spastic quadriplegic? Let's take a look.As a lad, Christy could not walk or talk, but still received love from his family, especially his caring, steely mam Bridget (Brenda Fricker, in an Oscar-winning role) while the rest of the clan sees him as nothing but a vegetable. But one day a miraculous even occurs when the now five-year-old Christy (Hugh O'Conor) sees his mam fall down a flight of stairs one day as she is in labor, and is the only witness as well. He is however able to get the attention of some neighbors. His unpredictable, alcoholic da (Ray McAnally, who died before the film was released in his last great role) never really believing in his handicapped son, becomes a supporter when he sees him using the eponymous appendage (the only body part he could actually control), to scrawl the word 'mother' on the floor with a piece of yellow chalk.Later on in the film, since time has passed, he is now played by Daniel-Day Lewis (a brilliantly deserved Oscar-winning beautifully bravura performance for such a demanding, meticulous role). He masters each nuance of facial expressions, precise movements of a twisted, rigid body and impaired speech flawlessly, and eventually overcomes his infirmity-with no apprehension of determination or ill will-to go on to become a painter, poet, author, find love and eventually marry. With his only controllable limb, Christy paints, scores goals in street soccer, lays bricks, fells an adversary in a pub brawl, attempts suicide and writes his autobiography. To see the world through the eyes of a man undeterred from his permanent state is confounding and yet we can not look away. The zeal in his soul ridden with angst, wonder and the will to laugh at life's circumstances, all the while longing to be accepted in society has, throughout his life shown in the time allotted, never dwindles. From examples as a man to flirting with his speech therapist (teaching him to swear when others are not wanted) to the innocent wonder as a boy with his brothers and sisters partaking in sweet, spooky Halloween street festivities, his outlook remains the same throughout his days while as those around him come to eventually laud his triumphs and travails as a unique and extraordinary human being.Paralleling with 'Rain Man', the same elements are here, but it is also here where we witness a more sentimental depth of human nature. It reveals a painful yet poignant portrait of an essentially paralyzed artistic character that at the film's conclusion we can do nothing but stand and cheer. It deviates from the standard Hollywood story to deliver dynamic realism, robust truths and an overall tour-de-force experience from watching the miraculousness of life within a man and his spirit, unafraid in beating the odds to pursue his visions and dreams. Though the real Christy Brown passed on at only forty-nine, this is truly one of those films that will live in the mind and heart long after one sees it.

Christy Brown was born in Dublin to a very large, poor family. He had severe cerebral palsy and could only control his left foot. Without formal schooling, he became an acclaimed painter, writer, and poet.This movie is absolutely wonderful. I'd put off watching it because I expected it be maudlin and manipulative, but it's not; it's earthy and defiant and hopeful, just like Christy. Daniel Day-Lewis earned the Best Actor Oscar for his stunning performance which manages to convey his horrible frustration and longings without being overly-sentimental. He's really outstanding. Brenda Fricker won Best Supporting Actress; she's immediately likable and admirable. The entire cast is perfect and the story is truly inspiring.Heartily recommended.