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This is My Father | Year: 1999 Classification: Drama Directed: - Paul Quinn Actors/Actresses: - Dawn Didawick - John Cusack - Stephen Rea - James Caan - Aidan Quinn Great Irish Romantic Tragedy In a lot of the time-split movies I've seen, the present story is never as interesting as the past one, which is the case with "This is My Father." The present story revolves around Kieran Johnson (played by James Caan), a middle-aged Chicago high school teacher, as he travels abroad to Ireland with his teenage nephew, Jack (Jacob Tierney), in search of his unknown paternal roots. Upon arriving, Kieran Jr. learns of his father, Kieran O'Day (Aidan Quinn), via the Irish fortuneteller they're boarding from. The movie then switches periodically to the summer of 1939, when Kieran Jr.'s young mother, Fiona Flynn (played by Moya Farrelly), returns from Catholic school and resumes her friendship with Kieran Sr., only to have it blossom into a forbidden love affair. Why their relationship is taboo is never fully explained, though the Catholic church, Kieran Sr.'s being a "poorhouse bastard", and their age difference are vaguely touched upon. However, a lot of it's left up to the viewer to draw their own conclusions. In addition to the lack of any major taboo, I thought the past story between Kieran Sr. and Fiona would have been better at the forefront of this movie. It was certainly more entertaining than watching Kieran Jr. brood or Jack flirt with two local girls (or, rather, they were flirting with him; he just looked lost). But despite the little things, "This is My Father" is a great movie. It has a somewhat predictable demise at the end, but it's still sad enough to interest fans of romantic tragedies. Sleeper Why don't we ever hear about great films like this one. It has a wonderful story with a tearful conclusion. It is worth seeing, if only for the glimpse of Irish culture in 1939 and surely accurate depiction of the Catholic Church of that time. One gets the notion that in the Irish countryside of today, the Church probably still operates as it does in this film. Aidan Quinn, who went out of his way to make this film, is terrific in his part as Kieran O'Day. He gained weight for the film and it is far from a glitzy role. Actually, all the acting is top notch and the characters are all believeable. Having grown up in a Catholic Church that is very close to what is portrayed in the film, made it even more interesting for me. It's not a flashy film, but one of the best of this century. Same old Irish drivel I am sick to death of this kind of Irish film where the same old actors are wheeled out in their tweed jackets and flat-caps to portray yet another load of down-trodden Irish characters with something to moan and whinge about. Films about modern Ireland never ever seem to be made and I get the feeling that the world must think that Ireland is stuck in the 1940s as thats all you ever see in these films. The story is the usual rubbish about forbidden love and it's been done a thousand times before. I do however disagree with the comment by a reviewer which claims that this film is 'anti-catholic' - it is not - this is unfortunatly how Ireland was at that time - ruled by the iron fist of the church. But this need by Irish film directors to constantly hark back to this time period is beyond me. Have they no other ideas they can turn into a film? Utter rubbish Buy This Is My Father at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on This Is My Father Search with the Priority Search Engine on This Is My Father This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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