Some Mother's Son

With an excellent cast, soundtrack and photography this film's one flaw is that it must over-simplify a complex and pivotal episode in Irish history. Despite that it does a fairly good job of capturing the essence of what happened, smartly exposing the viewer to this rarely seen world through the eyes of a middle-class mother whose son, unknown to her, is caught up in the incendiary world of 'the Troubles' of Northern Ireland.

Convicted of taking part in an attack on British forces as part of an IRA Active Service Unit, her son quickly finds himself the cell-mate of soon-to-be-IRA-icon/martyr, Bobby Sands. Although the film does not really explore the personality of this seminal figure (for ex: that he was a poet), it does convey the gravity of the situation he was thrust in as well as the huge impact the hunger strike had on the Northern Irish, indeed people around the world.

But more so, this film is about the suffering that the women in these situations, particularly the mothers (hence the title) must endure. They have no choice in the tragedy that forces itself on their lives, yet they must find ways to overcome and affect what positive change they can.

Some say there is not enough "action" in the film. It is not an "action" movie. There are plenty of Dolph Lundgren vehicles out there if that is all you want. This film is about how episodes of moving history effects everyday people's lives.

There are some excellent, nuanced performances in this movie, particularly from the two leads, Helen Mirren and Fionnula Flanagan (an underrated character actress best known for her work in "The Others"). But by no means is this easy to watch - and it's best appreciated, whatever your view on the long-standing conflict, if you have some idea of the history first, and the passion that still surrounds Bobby Sands. Tim Pat Coogan's "The Troubles," while a mammoth volume, summarizes the death and destruction that have been visited on all three of the major players - British, Catholic, Protestant.

Interestingly, Helen Mirren also starred in "Cal", another movie about the "Troubles" of Northern Ireland, playing a Protestant widow who falls in love with a Catholic man. In both movies, Mirren's character endures the unthinkable - watching the people she loves best being torn by sectarian violence. Yet in "Cal," Mirren's character is more passive, having things "happen" to her. In "Some Mother's Son", Mirren and Flanagan take action, their passion for their children stirring them to activism, right or wrong.

S0ME MOTHER'S SON is one of the most accurate depictions about the ordinary families caught up in the turmoil and oppression of Northern Ireland. The characters are loosely based on real persons living today, who were caught up in the Great Hunger Strike of 1981. (I know Annie, the Fionnula Flanagan character personally) The British injustice and oppression, portrayed is accurate and no ones imagination, it continues today. Helen Mirren captures the true spirit of the indomitable Irish women, the true heroes of Ireland. Fionnula Flanagan's character is brilliant, and often steals the scene from Ms. Mirren. It has little character insights typical of women of Ulster. Want an accurate movie, about the gallant people of Northern Ireland? this is it! It makes no apologies for the I.R.A.(refreshing.) The I.R.A. may be a grey area to some, but SOME MOTHERS SON shows the viewer that there wouldn't be an I.R.A. if there wasn't British oppression.

It was great to see Aiden Gillen, who I first encountered in the British version of Queer as Folk, in a much meatier, more difficult role. Also this is another terrific performance, as always by Helen Mirren. A very moving and sad film.

Its ashame that more people don't know about this subject. I found this film to be very touching with a very strong moral. Yes the movie is about the I.R.A. and some of its most famous 'soldiers', however, the film touched on who is affected by these actions. I don't agree with the I.R.A but found myself empathetic to the families of the prisoners involved. Despite what the previous poster stated, this movie was pre-911 and touches not on the terrorists acts, but on the consquences of their actions. Helen Mirren was brilliant in this movie, as always. Its not exactley Michael Collins on the subject, and a lot of it was 'glamorized' for Hollywood, but all in all worth watching.