Commendable as he may be in just about anything he appears in, Daniel Day-Lewis’ talents as an on-screen performer are excelled exponentially by films that everyone agrees are great, but few, I feel, have actually seen. My circle of friends agree Day-Lewis is a grand actor, a man who put the intricacies of performances to great use, striving for exceptional work in every outing he provided. There Will Be Blood and Phantom Thread are his best-cited works, and I’ve met few people in my life that took the time to watch My Left Foot, or this, In the Name of the Father a second collaboration between Day-Lewis and director Jim Sheridan.
Sheridan and Day-Lewis’ pairing is a masterful one, as expected. The chemistry the two of them have with one another brings to life yet another fascinating story of life in working-class Ireland. Gerry Conlon (Day-Lewis), is wrongly implicated in an IRA bombing which kills several people in a London pub. We follow him as he fights this imprisonment, and the allies and enemies he makes whilst pleading his case. As expected, Day-Lewis’ performance is phenomenal, opening scenes showcase just how great a character actor he is. Sparring partner and father figure, Giuseppe Conlon (Pete Postlethwaite) almost steals the show away from Day-Lewis. A phenomenal performance that manages to keep on the same level of intensity and passion that this cast are expected to provide.
Some moments throw an unexpected spanner in the works. Later scenes in the prison lose their way a little bit, but it feels like In the Name of the Father is biding its time before a big, bold blow-out at the end. Certainly worth the wait, Sheridan’s direction is marvellous, we get a feel for the prison lifestyle and all the harsh horrors of it. They do feel a bit diminished and cliché at times, but nothing out of the ordinary. There are pockets of great variety, the early moments of the film set up this prison drama rather well, amazing performances keep it all together, but there are moments that not even Sheridan can save. It’s a wholly enjoyable piece, one that has exceptional pacing for such a lengthy story, but some of it feels a bit bloated. Supporting characters come and go with waning influence, never quite cementing themselves in a film with plenty of room for much variety.
Balancing the harsh behaviour the police threw at Ireland and its people during the height of The Troubles, and the atrocities committed by the IRA at the peak of their terror, In the Name of the Father crafts a thoroughly thought-provoking and well-crafted drama. Great performances and a steady behind the camera make for a rewarding biopic of a man wrongfully imprisoned, someone who turned that imprisonment into a passionate campaign for his and his father’s freedom. A prison drama that rushes itself towards an ending that doesn’t quite do its excellent performances the full decency they deserve. Passionate execution from the cast that tells an important story of miscarriages of justice, In the Name of the Father highlights a man who seems to have faded from the mainstream of general history.
