My Left Foot
This film tells the true story of Christy Brown, born with cerebral palsy in a large working-class Irish family. Only his mother recognises his intelligence from the outset, but it is through his own perseverance that he demonstrates his abilities to the world. Eventually, Christy matures into a moody writer who uses his only functional limb, his left foot, to write with and tell his story.
Daniel Day Lewis demonstrates enormous empathy through his intense method acting in portraying a big personality living with cerebral palsy. He has received many accolades for this role and apparently during filming on set he would stay in his wheelchair and in character all day.
As viewers we empathise hugely with Christy Brown, and embrace his cantankerous nature along with his humour and sheer grit, watching him fall in love, be crushed by rejection and find love again.
I'd say this is one of the best films I know for seeing people for themselves, whatever their abilities.
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Comments
Day-Lewis in an empathy master
Completely agree with Kate Raworth's comments. Day-Lewis is one of the great empathy masters, schooled in Method Acting, where the whole point of the acting craft is to immerse yourself physicially and psychologically in the role of your character. He's done it for all his films. For 'In The Name of the Father' he readied himself for a scene where a confession is beaten out of him for a crime he did not commit by replicating his character's experiences, forcing himself to stay awake for three days and nights, and hiring real policemen to interrogate him. Now that's empathic acting.
My Left Foot
What a fabulous, uplifting film! It seems as though many of the high quality films are coming from countries other than the USA.