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In the Name of the Father

Biography, Crime, Drama

RatingRatingRatingRatingRating4.7

DirectorJim Sheridan

ProducerJim Sheridan

ScreenwriterTerry George, Jim Sheridan

DistributorUniversal Pictures, Argentina Video Home

Release Date DateDec 12, 1993, Original

LanguageEnglish

Runtime2h 12m

Introduction

Unemployed young Irishman Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) gets by as a petty thief in 1970s Belfast. When local IRA leaders get fed up with him, he flees to England and meets up with his friend Paul Hill (John Lynch). On the same night that the IRA bombs a nearby pub, the friends get kicked out of their communal digs and are forced to sleep in a park. He returns to Belfast, but is arrested as the prime suspect in the bombing and imprisoned, where he spends 15 years trying to clear his name.

Critics Reviews

David Ansen4.9

309

Feb 15, 2018
Jim Sheridan delivers a powerful and gripping narrative in 'In the Name of the Father'. Daniel Day-Lewis shines as Gerry Conlon, an unemployed Irishman caught in a web of injustice during the tumultuous 1970s. Sheridan's direction is reminiscent of early Costa-Gavras, stirring the audience with palpable intensity. The film portrays Conlon's harrowing 15-year struggle to clear his name after being wrongfully imprisoned for an IRA bombing. With compelling performances and a storyline steeped in raw emotion and political relevance, Sheridan succeeds in crafting a tale that feels both urgent and deeply affecting.

Gene Siskel4.4

480

Feb 28, 2014
In 'In the Name of the Father,' Daniel Day-Lewis delivers a brilliant performance as Gerry Conlon, an unemployed young Irishman caught in a web of injustice. Set in the turbulent 1970s Belfast, Gerry’s petty thievery leads him to England, where he reunites with his friend Paul Hill. When the IRA bombs a local pub, Gerry becomes the prime suspect and is wrongfully imprisoned after returning home. Spending 15 years in prison, he tirelessly fights to clear his name. Day-Lewis captures the despair and resilience of a man battling against a flawed system, making this film a compelling watch.
In the Name of the Father
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