Evelyn (2002)

Wonderful Movie

Great Film overall

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

I recognised the title because of the leading James Bond 007 actor starring, but that's about all I knew, I was going to give it a chance, from director Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy, Double Jeopardy). Based on the true story, Desmond Doyle (Pierce Brosnan) is devastated when his wife Charlotte (Mairead Devlin) abandons him and his children, nine year old daughter Evelyn (Sophie Vavasseur) and her two brothers Maurice (Hugh McDonagh) and Dermot (Niall Beagan), on Boxing Day. Soon after the authorities take away the children because Desmond is unemployed and there is no mother in the house to care for them, he tries to go against the Catholic Church and the Irish courts. He wants them back as they have been placed in Church-run orphanages, but it is hard to get money, and he has unreliable people saying they can help, even a sympathetic judge says the financial situation can turn around, but doesn't. Desmond is trying to get help in the courts from friends such as American lawyer Nick Barron (Aidan Quinn), barmaid Bernadette Beattie (Ghost Ship's Julianna Margulies), her solicitor brother Michael Beattie (The Crying Game's Stephen Rea), and old mentor Tom Connolly (Alan Bates). While they are trying everything they can to show that the children being with their father is right, Evelyn and her brothers are suffering abuse living inside the orphanages. Desmond suffers the death of his father Henry (Father Ted's Frank Kelly, ironically the housekeeper in his show was Mrs. Doyle) and continuing lack of money, but he finds a way and the case becomes a big talking point in Ireland, and in the end, after ups and downs to the conclusion, he does win Evelyn and his sons back. Also starring John Lynch as Senior Counsel Mr. Wolfe, Karen Ardiff as Sister Felicity, Andrea Irvine as Sister Brigid and Marian Quinn as Sister Theresa. Brosnan gives a nice pleasant performance, being Irish in real life helps as well, and the supporting cast members, many also Irish, do well as well, the story is poignant but predictable, and the courtroom drama parts could have been a little better, but overall, it's not a bad real life social drama. Worth watching!

I saw bits and pieces of this movie,Evelyn, today. I really would like to watch it again in its entirety. Does anyone know when it will air again and on what network? It is a wonderful story. The all star cast is great esp. Aidan Quinn and Pierce Brosnan. Also, does anyone know if it is based on a true story? I've never heard of the movie before today. It makes for good holiday programming during the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays even though it does not contain a holiday theme. It's heartwarming family-type appeal, I think, would be well received during this time of year. I would strongly urge Oxygen or the Hallmark channel to run it again. There should be more movies and programs such as this on TV these days promoting family values and wholesome settings for our children. So much of television is just wasted time and it is better left off. "Silence is golden"!

Oh my gosh, this one is just awful. It's one of those movies where, after you've watched it, and spit up whatever you just ate, you have to say, "Why did all these quality people agree to appear in this pitiful movie?" Aiden Quinn sleep-walks through it, at least Alan Bates (who has sadly gotten old; I kept thinking about 'An Unmarrried Woman' through all his scenes)gets to have a little fun, but Juliana Margulies? Has there ever been a less appealing role for a somewhat talented actress? Pierce Brosnan is sure good looking. He can't sing. Ireland is pretty. And that's not enough to float this pitiful little flick, unless you love child actresses who chew scenery, and a screenplay that'll make you spew sugar tablets.

Possibly you're a cynic and think the blarney is laid on too abundantly in this movie. Or you might be calling it "O'Kramer vs. O'Kramer" and this isn't too sappy and predictable to be taken seriously. Well, guess what, it is, and I loved every minute.Pierce Brosnan, who I used to consider a cardboard cut-out of an actor, plays Desmond Doyle. He's fantastic as a father whose daughter and two sons are removed from their home by the government after their Mother ( in this case, the term can be used in the biological sense only) abandons the family. This being Ireland in the 1950s, there was a law that stated the government can intervene when one parent is found to be insufficient. Desmond has to quit drinking, deal with the death of his father, find a lawyer and rarely see his kids. Its all okay at the end, and I have to mention that I hope the children's Mother and a certain Sister Bridget have the thankless job of eating ---- in hell for all eternity.Worth mentioning from the cast is Alan Bates, a hard-drinking consultant to Doyle's case, and his wishes to hear (or not hear) a 'however' from the judges were hilarious.I had a small problem with the fact that the Mother was not on trial, literally, because it was her abandonment of her family that led to them being separated. Anyway, its a terrific movie. 8/10.