My Left Foot (1989)

7.8R103 minDirector: Jim Sheridan

1989 film by Jim Sheridan

My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown is a 1989 biographical comedy-drama film directed by Jim Sheridan (in his directorial debut) and adapted by Sheridan and Shane Connaughton from the 1954 memoir by Christy Brown. A co-production of Ireland and the United Kingdom, it stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Brown, an Irish man born with cerebral palsy, who could control only his left foot. Brown grew up in a poor working-class family and became a writer and artist. Brenda Fricker, Ray McAnally, Hugh O'Conor, Fiona Shaw, and Cyril Cusack are featured in supporting roles.

The film was theatrically released on 24 February 1989 to critical acclaim and commercial success, grossing $14.7 million on a £600,000 budget. Reviewers praised the film's screenplay, direction, message, and especially the performances of Day-Lewis and Fricker. At the 62nd Academy Awards, the film received five nominations, including Best Picture, with Day-Lewis and Fricker winning Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. In 2018, the British Film Institute ranked it as the 53rd greatest British film of the 20th century.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is My Left Foot about?
My Left Foot (1989) — Christy Brown is born with cerebral palsy to a large, poor Irish family. His mother, Mrs. Brown, recognizes the intelligence and humanity in the lad everyone else regards as a vegetable. Eventually, Christy matures into a cantankerous artist who uses his dexterous left foot to wr
Is My Left Foot based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is My Left Foot scary?
Content rating: R. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.
What is My Left Foot (1989) about? Plot, synopsis and ending explained — Screencodex