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Philomena
Directed by
Stephen Frears
PG-13
2013
1h 38m
Drama
,
Biography
,
and more
7.6
91%
89%
Watch Free
A world-weary political journalist picks up the story of a woman's search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent.
More
Cast of Philomena
Judi Dench
Philomena
Steve Coogan
Martin Sixsmith
Sophie Kennedy Clark
Young Philomena
Mare Winningham
Mary Hess
Barbara Jefford
Sister Hildegarde
Ruth McCabe
Mother Barbara
Peter Hermann
Pete Olsson
Sean Mahon
Michael Hess
Anna Maxwell Martin
Jane
Michelle Fairley
Sally Mitchell
Wunmi Mosaku
Young Nun
Amy McAllister
Sister Anunciata
Charlie Murphy
Kathleen
Cathy Belton
Sister Claire
Kate Fleetwood
Young Sister Hildegarde
Charissa Shearer
Peg
Nika McGuigan
Bridie
Rachel Wilcock
Mamie
Rita Hamill
Nursery Nun
Tadhg Bowen
Young Anthony
Saoirse Bowen
Young Mary
Harrison D'Ampney
Anthony (8-10 Years)
D.J. McGrath
John
Simone Lahbib
Kate Sixsmith
Sara Stewart
Marcia Weller
Gary Lilburn
Priest
Charles Edwards
David
Nicholas Jones
Dr. Robert
Paris Arrowsmith
Bellboy
Marie Jones
Barman's Mum
Frankie McCafferty
Barman
Vaughn Johseph
Receptionist Hotel
George Fisher
Omelette Chef
Jordan King
Waitress
Amber Batty
Marge
Martin Glyn Murray
Father
Florence Keith-Roach
Check In Operator
George Michael Rados
Priest In Church
Elliot Levey
Alex
Timothy Paul Jobe
Doc Hess
Roxanne Gregory
Meg
Jon Wennington
Congregation Member (uncredited)
Philomena Ratings & Reviews
Rowan Krzysiak
February 12, 2025
An interesting story told vividly but succinctly. Great for a Sunday evening.
Chicago Sun-Times
Bill Zwecker
Director Steven Frears deserves special mention. A lesser filmmaker could so easily have turned this project into mushy, sentimental junk. The tear-jerking moments here are heartfelt and real. It's the kind of filmmaking we see too little of today.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Steven Rea
A true story that takes unexpected, unusually poignant turns.
Detroit News
Tom Long
Dench is a delight, playing dowdy instead of her standard regal, and Coogan is appropriately droll and disillusioned. Together they manage to make a sad story feel somehow bright.
San Francisco Chronicle
Mick LaSalle
Go beyond the manner of its telling and you find a story of cruelty and evil, of shocking acts committed under a veneer of civility and sanctity.
Washington Post
Ann Hornaday
At its core, this clever, wrenching, profound story underscores the tenacity of faith in the face of unfathomable cruelty.
Associated Press
Jocelyn Noveck
We wouldn't care about any of this if the performances were weak. But both actors find complexity and depth.
Arizona Republic
Bill Goodykoontz
Director Stephen Frears manages to successfully walk the tricky line between comedy and dark drama. It keeps the audience off-kilter a bit, but in a good way; we shouldn't always need to know what's coming next, in terms of tone or plot.
Boston Globe
Ty Burr
"Philomena" is a tearjerker of rare honesty and craft.
Seattle Times
Moira MacDonald
An utterly charming combination of road trip, odd-couple comedy and heart-touching true story that will leave few dry-eyed, "Philomena" rests comfortably in the lap of the great Judi Dench.
Austin Chronicle
Marjorie Baumgarten
Solving this mystery is not nearly as engrossing as watching the actors' pas de deux.
Film School Rejects
Kate Erbland
[The final act is] a great half hour or so of film -- funny, charming, sad, satisfying -- but the rest of Philomena isn't so up to snuff.
Bitch Media
Monica Castillo
The movie is a bit of a puzzle coming from atheist co-writer Steve Coogan and the script grapples with these big questions of religion, class, and justice in a way that's far beyond the typical teary human-interest story.
Grantland
Wesley Morris
It's smart and unsweetened.
Chicago Reader
J. R. Jones
The story touches on some of the thorniest issues of Catholic doctrine and tempers its righteous anger with a tone more sad than bitter.
Yahoo! Movies
Thelma Adams
Dench and Coogan could easily do an odd couple comedy. That's one of the peculiar revelations of Stephen Frears' dry, amusing and deeply moving ripped-from-the-headlines road movie.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Joe Williams
Dench, Coogan and sure-handed director Stephen Frears ("The Queen") keep the focus on character, and in "Philomena" they've got an earthbound angel.
Movie Mom
Nell Minow
More improbable than any fictional story would dare to be, the journey taken by Philomena and Sixsmith is bittersweet and ultimately transcendent.
leonardmaltin.com
Leonard Maltin
"Philomena" is a moving story that serves as a perfect vehicle for the incomparable Judi Dench.
Christian Science Monitor
Peter Rainer
If not for the expertness of [the] actors, Philomena would be a sloggy journey indeed. Fortunately, Dench and Coogan are more than capable of turning water into wine.
Watch Philomena Videos
Philomena (US)
Philomena (US)
Trailer
Judi Dench On The Story (US)
Judi Dench On The Story (US)
Behind the Scenes
Steve Coogan On The Story (US)
Steve Coogan On The Story (US)
Behind the Scenes
Stephen Frears On The Filming Process (US)
Stephen Frears On The Filming Process (US)
Behind the Scenes
Hotel Room
Hotel Room
Scene
Green Field
Green Field
Scene
Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Scene
Page Turner (US)
Page Turner (US)
Scene
Big Momma's House
Big Momma's House
Scene
Breakfast Restaurant
Breakfast Restaurant
Scene
Hip Replacement (US)
Hip Replacement (US)
Scene
Not To Use My Real Name
Not To Use My Real Name
Scene
The Size Of The Portions
The Size Of The Portions
Scene
Be Nice To People On Your Way Up
Be Nice To People On Your Way Up
Scene
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