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Title: Evelyn (2002)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Sophie Vavasseur | ... | Evelyn Doyle | |
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Niall Beagan | ... | Dermot Doyle |
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Hugh McDonagh | ... | Maurice Doyle (as Hugh Macdonagh) |
| Pierce Brosnan | ... | Desmond Doyle | |
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Mairead Devlin | ... | Charlotte Doyle |
| Frank Kelly | ... | Henry Doyle | |
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Claire Mullan | ... | Mrs. Daisley |
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Alvaro Lucchesi | ... | Inspector Logan |
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Garrett Keogh | ... | District Judge |
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Daithi O'Suilleabhain | ... | Brother Eustace (as Daithi O'Suillebhain) |
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Andrea Irvine | ... | Sister Brigid |
| Marian Quinn | ... | Sister Theresa | |
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Karen Ardiff | ... | Sister Felicity |
| Julianna Margulies | ... | Bernadette Beattie | |
| Bosco Hogan | ... | Father O'Malley | |
1953. Desmond Doyle is devastated when his wife abandons their family on the day after Christmas. His unemployment, and the fact that there is no woman in the house to care for the children, Evelyn, Dermot, and Maurice, make it clear to the authorities that his is an untenable situation. The Irish courts put the Doyle children into Church-run orphanages. Although a sympathetic judge assures Desmond that he'll get his children back after he gets a job, he learns there's another barrier. During that time, Evelyn suffers abuse, while Desmond goes to court to get his children back. A barmaid, her brother, her suitor, and a tippling footballer become Desmond's team.
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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.