Genre: Drama
Rating: 18
Main Actor: Daniel Costello
Main Actresses: Anne-Marie Duff, Nora-Jane Noone, Dorothy Duffy & Geraldine McEwan
YouTube: Film Opening
This is not a film for the faint hearted. It charters a turbulent fight for freedom against Catholic oppression, following three young women as they attempt to regain control over their lives. Duff puts in a first class performance, although her character, Margaret, lacks the spark and energy displayed by Noone's Bernadette. Another remarkable performance is that of McEwan, who encompasses the hatred, cruelty and seeming lack of humanity in her character to such a degree that it is hard to sympathise or even to reason with her motivations.
The story follows the lives of the young women turned over to the Magdalene Laundries, supposedly for their unholy actions - usually involving young men. Yet, as the opening scenes show, families afraid of shame or people looking to rid themselves of potentially troublesome women could force girls into these prisons, leaving them little hope of a normal life. For someone as removed from the situation as I, it is hard to imagine a family abandoning their loved ones for "crimes" such as those portrayed, yet it presents a realistic image of life in that society and has even been said to be "too soft" on the reality by women who have experienced the Laundries first hand.
Whilst there are many scenes that leave you feeling emotionally unstable, the film displays comradeship among women and shows the true value of freedom when we can no longer take it for granted. No it will not make you laugh, but it is a worthy film that deserves to be witnessed as it displays a life that seems so hard to imagine, yet occurred not so long ago...
Rating: 9/10
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