A searing, true-life drama of criminal injustice, In the Name of the
Father takes liberties with the truth even as it bemoans those qualities in
the authorities. In early 70s Belfast, Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a
petty crook who plays the mortally dangerous game of stripping lead from roofs.
To the ever vigilant security forces he looks just like an IRA sniper, while to
the terrorists he's a pain and deserves knee-capping. Stuck in the middle, Gerry
and his equally wayward pal Danny (Anthony Brophy) try to do the best they can.
However, after a riot-sparking incident, which endangers the local IRA leaders,
Gerry has reached a point where his father Guiseppe (Pete Postlethwaite) can no
longer protect him.
Thus, in a move replete with ironic undertones, Gerry ships out to London -
the capital of the country which represses his homeland. Although the idea is to
find a job and lodge with his aunt Annie Maguire (Britta Smith), Gerry instead
hooks up with old friend Paul Hill (John Lynch). Together they head for a hippy
squat where the promise of free love is a major attraction and buddy Paddy
Armstrong (Mark Sheppard) can vouch for their characters. Life away from the
tension of Northern Ireland is tremendous, poor but fun. Unfortunately the IRA
mainland bombing campaign manages to influence even the drugged-out commune of
Xanadu.
When the Guilford Pub bomb explodes, in a building-shattering detonation,
Gerry and Paul have voluntarily excluded themselves from the squat. Shivering in
a local park, with only fellow tramp Charlie Burke (Joe McPartland) for company,
the friends are at a low ebb. Amazingly, luck comes their way via a careless
prostitute and pretty soon Gerry is back in Belfast, strutting his funky new
outfits. Free and easy with his recently acquired cash, Gerry cuts quite a
figure even as Guiseppe and Ann (Joanna Irvine) wonder how he suddenly became
rich. A snatched glimpse of Paul's distinctive shoes being bundled into the back
of a police van presages the unexpected changes coming Gerry's way. In an
aggressive pre-dawn raid, Gerry is taken for questioning under the new
Prevention of Terrorism Act. Detective Mister Dixon (Colin Redgrave) is under
pressure to catch the bombers; the nightmare has just begun.
Since the central story of In the Name of the Father is immune to
criticism, the interpretation and execution are where small but nagging faults
lie. To say that the initial scenes are gripping, rushing forcefully along at a
giddy pace, is something of an understatement. The overwhelming torrent of
events, as several families are destroyed in the fevered search for a scapegoat,
is stunning. Rapidly, the show trial begins (with the ridiculous sight of a 14
year old boy fingered as a collaborator), leading to its inexorable conclusion
(given the forced confessions). Under the witch-hunt atmosphere which pervaded
England at that time, the outcome is not unexpected, just somehow unreal. The
Conlon family can't believe that they've just been framed, yet they're the ones
looking at 15 long years in prison.
The focus of In the Name of the Father then undergoes a shift
subsequent to this powerful beginning, sliding into the relationship of Gerry
and Guiseppe. Imprisoned together, isolated from their murderer/rapist fellow
prisoners, one-to-one communication becomes all important. Over the years the
dynamics of their love gradually changes, from bitter incomprehension to mutual
respect and understanding. This is where the awesome performance of Day-Lewis
shines, reflecting the internal alterations of 15 years of introspection and his
transformation into a determined, rational martyr. Postlethwaite is also
excellent as the morally strong father, troubled by his difficult son yet sure
of his innocence. The remaining characters are far less well developed, with
Emma Thompson in particular badly under-utilised.
Overall, there are both good and bad aspects to what is really two films
compressed into one. The start and finish are terrific, as is the contrast
between the two trials, but everything sags in the middle. The survival of Gerry
and his father in prison is well constructed, yet too much background has been
left out to allow a fully convincing context (the fact that this segment never
occurred doesn't help). Fortunately, In the Name of the Father avoids
aiming for the bigger picture, instead producing an intimate portrait of
familial differences. From the perspective of these innocent suspects, the
lesson that neither the IRA nor the police are to be trusted has definite
impact. There are flaws in this particular rendering of reality, but intensity
(in the script and performances) makes up for a lot.
From Movie Reviews UK
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