Some Mother's Son (1996) User Reviews

A good fictional representation of real events

[PeterJordan · 7/10 · 31 March 2006]

I saw this film when it first came out but after reading two rather diverse but equally recommended books on the subject ("Ten men dead" by David Beresford and "Nor Meekly serve my time" Edited by Brian Campbell, Laurence McKeown and Felim O'Hagen) , I figured I'd like to see it again.

The story portrayed in the film echoes the 2nd book in particular so closely at times that I expected to see the three men credited (They were actually H Block prisoners who took part in the protest and hunger strikes themselves). Of course from that perspective it is understandable that some would claim that it tends towards bias or discriminates towards a one sided view on a very complex issue.

The reality of the film is that whilst the majority of the characters save Bobby Sands are fictional, many of them, with just a little background reading are recognisable as real life people such as Fr Denis Faul, Bik McFarlane, "The Mounain Climber" and a composite of Gerry Adams/Danny Morrison.

It is a charge fairly frequently levelled at Jim Sheridan that he embellishes or takes liberty with factual real events such as in Michael Collins or In America - However, that is usually levelled by someone with an obvious axe to grind or viewing from an opposite perspective. So whilst it is desirable for a good film to document even real facts in an understandable way in less than two hours it is also nice to be entertained and have your curiosity aroused so that you can read further on the subject if you so desire. Some Mothers Son is probably one of these types of movies where the viewer's experience and insight is best enhanced by prior knowledge or at least some background of the events which out of necessity the film is compelled to synopsise and simplify some times.

The facts surrounding this turbulent period in Northern Irish history is that after a prolonged "dirty protest" to be recognised as prisoners of war instead of criminals or terrorists, in 1981 the republican H-Block prison inmates embarked on a hunger strike which by the time it had ended some 6 months later had seen ten of them die but more significantly for the republican movement in NI had seen a wider world focus on them and also had seen a new dawn towards the use of the ballot box instead of the Armalite assault rifle as a means to an end by Sin Fein/IRA which 25 years later is culminating in an electorally strong Sinn Fein and a decommissioned largely stood down IRA.

All in all therefore, as a pen picture which goes some way towards giving one a basic insight into the Northern Ireland Hunger strike of 1981 it does a good job which is greatly helped by very good performances by Helen Mirren, Fionnula O Flanigan Gerald McSorley and John Lynch in particular. Oh and if the soundtrack sounds vaguely familiar it may be because it is by Bill Whelan of Riverdance fame.

Great Soundtrack! Too Bad the Movie is BORING. . . .

[irish44 · 6/10 · 13 November 1999]

The music from "Some Mother's Son", composed and conducted by Bill Whelan, is hauntingly beautiful. Eleanor McEvoy's vocal on "The Seabird" is outstanding.

However, it is too bad the storyline in the movie doesn't match the quality of the music. Quite frankly, the movie was boring!

Helen Mirren and Fionnula Flanagan give first rate performances as the mothers (Kathleen Quigley and Annie Higgins) of two IRA terrorists imprisoned following a rocket attack on British soldiers. David O'Hara (Frank Higgins) plays the hard core murderer who appears to enjoy killing the British. Aiden Gillen is Gerard Quigley, the unlikely terrorist, who aids his friend Higgins in the attack. O'Hara and Gillen are very believable in their roles. In fact all of the actors are good.

The problem is with the storyline and lack of action after the initial rocket attack and subsequent capture of Higgins and Quigley. The scene involving the IRA's retaliation murder of the Maze prison guards happens far too quickly for the viewer to understand what is going on. And let's face, watching people starve to death is not very exciting.

I still gave this movie 6 out of 10, because of the fine acting and music.

Irish44

A harrowing and haunting reminder of the Irish hunger strikes

[NoirDamedotcom · 8/10 · 23 August 2005]

There are some excellent, nuanced performances in this movie, particularly from the two leads, Helen Mirren and Fionnula Flanagan (an underrated character actress best known for her work in "The Others"). But by no means is this easy to watch - and it's best appreciated, whatever your view on the long-standing conflict, if you have some idea of the history first, and the passion that still surrounds Bobby Sands. Tim Pat Coogan's "The Troubles," while a mammoth volume, summarizes the death and destruction that have been visited on all three of the major players - British, Catholic, Protestant.

Interestingly, Helen Mirren also starred in "Cal", another movie about the "Troubles" of Northern Ireland, playing a Protestant widow who falls in love with a Catholic man. In both movies, Mirren's character endures the unthinkable - watching the people she loves best being torn by sectarian violence. Yet in "Cal," Mirren's character is more passive, having things "happen" to her. In "Some Mother's Son", Mirren and Flanagan take action, their passion for their children stirring them to activism, right or wrong.

Some Mother's Son

[bnymph · 13 September 2004]

break, break, break, on thy cold grey stones, oh sea

I saw this movie when it first came out, and just watched it again last night. I still feel that it's an important movie, and also that everyone in the audience except for me <insert smile here> is missing the point. It's not about the right or wrong of the IRA/Sinn Fein or Thatcher's administration, it's about a more-or-less unprecedented friendship that evolves between two sons' mothers, and how they deal with their sons' impending self-imposed deaths, a friendship that quite suddenly excludes class issues, precisely because it is about _mother's sons_.

This is evoked in many subtle ways: Mrs Quigley's daughter leaves her job at the bank because no one trusts her after her brother has been arrested, and ends up tending bar somewhere outside North Ireland -- rather declassee for a young woman who'd been working in a bank; Mrs Higgins lives her life on a bicycle, gets a driving lesson on the sea-strand from Mrs Quigley, and they both end up getting saved from an incoming tide by British/North Irish soldiers. If you check the screenplay, you can see the change in the use of forenames and last names between the two women -- it's unfair to expect Yanks to pick that up. I can't even begin to explain it to my friends, and hell, I live in a border state.

There's a unifying theme in this movie and it's the sea: the sea the mothers are connected to, and that their sons are not permitted to see.

Another compelling drama from the Emerald Isles.

[=G= · 7/10 · 2 April 2001]

"Some Mother's Son" is yet another in a long list of films dealing with the strife in Ireland. This film examines the ebb and flow of policies and sentiments surrounding a hunger strike by IRS prisoners. As interesting as the divisive issue is the drama depicting how deeply into the "soldiers'" families the tragedy of the Irish conflict penetrates. An excellent shoot in full color (most of these IRA films are near monochrome) with superb performances and no agenda, "SMS" is a worthwhile watch for anyone interested in serious drama; especially Irish drama.

Realist

[markbodewig · 9/10 · 4 April 2013]

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

An excellent piece of film making which shows the oppression the Irish people have endured under British rule and the lengths the hunger strikers had to go to get POW status and to show the world how the Irish people where being treated by the Thatcher government. thought Helen Mirren was excellent in this film as was Fionnula Flanagan and Aidan Gillen. However I didn't think John Lynch was very convincing as Bobby Sands. WARNING SPOILERS: Only thing found a bit unrealistic about this film was at the funeral scene the IRA had AK-47 riles in reality they didn't get them until around 1986 (the film is based in 1981) when the Gaddafi shipments came through. Plus in the court scene the lawyers are all English in reality they where mostly Irish.

moving yet underrated film

[crookedmouth2003 · 9/10 · 11 May 2005]

With an excellent cast, soundtrack and photography this film's one flaw is that it must over-simplify a complex and pivotal episode in Irish history. Despite that it does a fairly good job of capturing the essence of what happened, smartly exposing the viewer to this rarely seen world through the eyes of a middle-class mother whose son, unknown to her, is caught up in the incendiary world of 'the Troubles' of Northern Ireland.

Convicted of taking part in an attack on British forces as part of an IRA Active Service Unit, her son quickly finds himself the cell-mate of soon-to-be-IRA-icon/martyr, Bobby Sands. Although the film does not really explore the personality of this seminal figure (for ex: that he was a poet), it does convey the gravity of the situation he was thrust in as well as the huge impact the hunger strike had on the Northern Irish, indeed people around the world.

But more so, this film is about the suffering that the women in these situations, particularly the mothers (hence the title) must endure. They have no choice in the tragedy that forces itself on their lives, yet they must find ways to overcome and affect what positive change they can.

Some say there is not enough "action" in the film. It is not an "action" movie. There are plenty of Dolph Lundgren vehicles out there if that is all you want. This film is about how episodes of moving history effects everyday people's lives.

something that everyone needs to understand

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 19 October 2006]

I only loosely knew about the Irish Hunger Strikers when I saw "Some Mother's Son". It shocked me what the movie portrayed. It's about not only the men themselves, but how two of the mothers have to try and maintain hope as the men remain in jail, starving because they dared to resist the British occupation. True, the whole situation in Northern Ireland may be a controversial one, but this movie gives it all a humanizing aspect, showing what it really feels like to have to experience the oppression every day. Helen Mirren, as one of the mothers, turns in as good a performance as we can expect from her (why has she never won an Oscar?) as does Fionnula Flanagan, as another mother. Definitely a movie that I recommend.

Incredibly poignant, historically authentic and brilliantly acted!

[Invertedgc · 8/10 · 25 February 2007]

While it is difficult to separate oneself from the politics of "the troubles" I think its important to keep in mind that this is a film, not a documentary. Its goal is to be historically authentic, not accurate. The message is one that speaks to mothers on all sides of the political divide. I think that one of the reviewers unfortunately missed the point of the movie which is featured in the title.

As a film this is an incredibly moving portrait of the horror, sacrifice and absurdity of war. The cast is outstanding; Helen Mirren is simply stunning, Fionnula Flanagan gives a powerful performance, Aidan Gillen is stirring as Helen Mirren's son and Bobby Sands' cell mate and finally John Lynch portrays the role of Bobby Sands quite fairly. The writers and director Terry George and Jim Sheridan have done an outstanding job writing and filming a story that transcends conflict and speaks to humanity we all share. While it shows the injustice of the position from which many of the North Ireland Catholics faced (and therein lies its political slant) the title firmly roots this film as so much more. I highly recommend this film for its historical authenticity and the brilliant performance by Helen Mirren.

Infactual , Polemical , But What`d You Expect ?

[Theo Robertson · 3/10 · 2 September 2003]

SOME MOTHER`S SON starts with some archive video of Magaret Thatcher making a speech after winning the 1979 British general election followed by a sequence of British government officials getting together with one of them saying " The rules < On Northern Ireland and terrorism have changed > have changed , the policy is now isolation , criminalization and demoralization " . This is a very strange thing to say about the situation in Northern Ireland in 1979 since despite the change in government there was no change in policy . The IRA were making a grand job isolating themselves from the mainstream nationalist community throughout the 1970s with incidents like " Bloody Friday " which were killing and maiming as many catholics as protestants . Criminalization ? Well the IRA have always been outlawed on both sides of the border since partition in 1922 , oh and convicted terrorists , loyalisist or republican , lost all political status in 1976 . Anyone found convicted of terrorist convictions after March 1976 was no longer eligible for political status within the Northern Ireland prison system . This was introduced by the Labour government`s Northern Ireland secetary Merlyn Rees not as insinuated here Thatcher`s Conservative government . As for demoralization the Provisional IRA were very much demoralized before Thatcher came into government . By 1975 they realised unification with the South wasn`t going to happen , had become embroiled in fueds with the Official IRA and loyalist terror groups while most of their members had been killed or imprisoned , not imprisoned in Long Kesh as in the early 1970s but in the new purpose built Maze with its strict regime ( Criminalization is a demoralizing thing ) while recruitment into the ranks was drying up ( If you go around blowing up innocent civilians you can expect this to happen ) , as I said Isolation , criminalization and demoralization weren`t the invention of Thatcher

Another serious factual error that leapt out at me was the court room scene. In a Northern Ireland " Diplock " court used to try people up for terrorist offences ( Remember both loyalist and republican defendants were tried this way )there`s three judges used but here we see only one who is a toffee nosed Englishman as are the defence barristers . In most cases Diplock judges were Irish , as are defence and prosecuting attorneys , but not only are most defence lawyers Irish they`re nearly all Irish catholics ! The most notorious loyalist murder gang " The Shankhill butchers " - whose idea of a good night out was to kidnap the nearest suspected catholic passerby and slowly skin him alive - where defended by a catholic lawyer , so how on earth a film that struts its credentials as being " Based on factual events " can get away with this misrepresentation of a Northern Ireland court is beyond me . There are also several iinaccurate details in geography and anachronisms like the Brits uniforms ( The polycarbide helmets they wear weren`t introduced untill 1986 ) which I couldn`t help but notice

These above comments are facts which can`t be disputed . They can`t be disputed because they are facts , so I won`t put too much opinion on SOME MOTHER`S SON . It is very well acted and it was very good to see that for a brief moment Helen Mirren`s character Kathleen Quigley comes to the realisation that she`s being manipulated by the IRA / Sinn Fein but this is a brief moment in a film that`s preceeded by polemical opinion which screams " Britain is entirely responsible for the troubles " and finishes with a caption giving the names of the ten IRA/INLA hunger strikers . I guess it would have been too much to print the names of those murdered by these particular hunger strikers ?

touching

[aricept37 · 5 March 2004]

Its ashame that more people don't know about this subject. I found this film to be very touching with a very strong moral. Yes the movie is about the I.R.A. and some of its most famous 'soldiers', however, the film touched on who is affected by these actions. I don't agree with the I.R.A but found myself empathetic to the families of the prisoners involved. Despite what the previous poster stated, this movie was pre-911 and touches not on the terrorists acts, but on the consquences of their actions. Helen Mirren was brilliant in this movie, as always. Its not exactley Michael Collins on the subject, and a lot of it was 'glamorized' for Hollywood, but all in all worth watching.

nice to see Aiden Gillen in another role

[PTCfromDE · 8/10 · 24 March 2002]

It was great to see Aiden Gillen, who I first encountered in the British version of Queer as Folk, in a much meatier, more difficult role. Also this is another terrific performance, as always by Helen Mirren. A very moving and sad film.

A better version of the Bobby Sands hunger strike than "Hunger."

[asc85 · 9/10 · 4 May 2019]

This film seems to have been overlooked and forgotten over the years, especially in comparison with Steve McQueen's "Hunger," which came out in 2008. I'm not sure if this issue was too raw to deal with in 1996, and was more palatable in 2008 when more time had passed, but I think this is the much better film about Bobby Sands and the hunger strike that took place in 1981. Not that "Hunger" is bad...it has its moments, and Fassbender goes "full method" on losing weight as Bobby Sands. But "Hunger" has a lot of "art for art's sake" shots, and doesn't really give you much context or backstory, so if you don't know much about this historical event, you're not going to be given too much insight while watching this picture.

"Some Mother's Son," on the other hand, just tells the story so much better, and because of that is more entertaining to watch. Helen Mirren, who was pretty much unknown in America in 1996 (I'm American), does a great job as the naive mother of one of the terrorists who then becomes politically active and savvy on the IRA vs. England. Think of all the Jane Fonda films in the 70's like "Coming Home" and The China Syndrome" where she plays a naive character who becomes educated in the politics of that subject and era.

I do think "Hunger" tries to provide some balance between the IRA and England better than what is done in "Some Mother's Son," but other than that, I feel that "Some Mother's Son" is the superior film.

Blunt but effective

[SKG-2 · 8/10 · 22 September 1999]

I must admit up front, being Irish-American and Catholic, I am biased towards these types of stories. That said, I would like to think I can dismiss message movies which are bad even if I agree with the message(for example, I am anti-nuclear, and I dislike the anti-nuclear movie FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY). I remember the Bobby Sands hunger strike quite vividly, as I was 13 at the time, and taking an interest in the world around me. Of course, I was naive as well, thinking the IRA was wholly good here, not yet knowing there were many shades of grey here.

Terry George co-wrote with Jim Sheridan both IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER and THE BOXER, both of which Sheridan also directed. Rather than doing a by the book approach, Sheridan used a poetic approach, which helped make the movies more provocative. George, on the other hand, is more blunt(to be fair, it's hard to make a poetic film about hunger strikes), which is limiting, but the power of the story does come through.

What does lift this are the performances. Finnoula Flanagan I only knew from a guest spot on "Beauty and the Beast," but she's quite good here as the hardline mother. And she does bring some dimension to it; watch the dinner scene right before her son is captured, where she shows pride in her son without overdoing it, and her first scene with Mirren, where she states her case simply, without histrionics. The best performance, however, and the best reason to see this, is Mirren. She's more well-known for playing strong-willed characters("Prime Suspect," THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE), so it's a bit of a shock to see her as a confused woman, but she shows us every step of the way her emotional journey without slipping into pathos.

Comments about the movie and questions regarding availability on DVD

[emeraldisle1998 · 10/10 · 3 February 2007]

I saw this movie quite a long time ago and felt it was true to fact of the Hunger Strike in 1981. I would like to know if this movie will ever be available on DVD. I was disappointed that I was unable to order the film. Is there someone you can recommend that I contact to order it? The film is the best I've seen and would recommend everyone seeing what has and is happening in Ireland. Be ready with the Kleenex, it is an extremely sad and touching film, I would not recommend for small children to see. 12 and above would probably be OK to see the film. At this writing their is still foreign occupation in Northern Ireland. Give Ireland back to the Irish...Erin go Bragh

A powerful movie,truthfully told,brilliantly acted.

[donogmc-2 · 16 October 2000]

S0ME MOTHER'S SON is one of the most accurate depictions about the ordinary families caught up in the turmoil and oppression of Northern Ireland. The characters are loosely based on real persons living today, who were caught up in the Great Hunger Strike of 1981. (I know Annie, the Fionnula Flanagan character personally) The British injustice and oppression, portrayed is accurate and no ones imagination, it continues today. Helen Mirren captures the true spirit of the indomitable Irish women, the true heroes of Ireland. Fionnula Flanagan's character is brilliant, and often steals the scene from Ms. Mirren. It has little character insights typical of women of Ulster. Want an accurate movie, about the gallant people of Northern Ireland? this is it! It makes no apologies for the I.R.A.(refreshing.) The I.R.A. may be a grey area to some, but SOME MOTHERS SON shows the viewer that there wouldn't be an I.R.A. if there wasn't British oppression.

Fantastic, gripping film

[jayok · 10/10 · 7 March 2002]

This film is a thought provoking look into the world of the Irish Hunger Strike. Based around the activities of two IRA members who get captured and jailed. They fight for PoW status and begin a hunger strike to win support. One of the strikers (Bobby Sands) is elected to the British Parliament and their hopes are raised only to be dashed by Maggie Thatcher.

The dilemma's of the families of the hunger strikers are highlighted and is very moving. The acting is first rate by all and the few action sequences are top notch.

If you are into political, humanitarian or real life films, this film is for you.

Fantastic movie

[The_Mad_Russian · 10/10 · 27 April 2006]

Excellent movie, great soundtrack too. I thought that Helen Mirren was fantastic. She does the part of a very confused mother very well.

Apparently there were some location snafus, as mentioned in the discussion group. So the movie isn't 100% accurate. But the basic storyline is accurate enough.

The movie was also very realistic as far as the historical background goes. The British incompetence during the Hunger Strikes was so typical, and the movie makes note of that.

It's nice to see a movie that shows the frustrations of the Irish in a clear light.

Somebody get this movie out on DVD right away!!

Fantasic film

[blacksheep0 · 10/10 · 18 March 2001]

'Some Mother's Son' is one of the best movies I have seen in quite a while. Helen Mirren plays Kathleen Quinlin, a mother of a man who is secretly in the IRA. When he is imprisioned for murder Mirren finds her self torn between her hate towards the IRA and supporting her son. When the IRA prisoners start a hunger strike Mirren will do what ever nessary to save her son.

These days it's hard to find a movie that both based on a true story and interesting to watch. I really enjoyed this movie and was really surprised that I never heard about this hunger strike that took the lives of ten men between the ages of 22 and 30.

Everything about this movie is perfect, but the best part is the performance given by Helen Mirren.

Never had a film had such an effect on me

[banshee2k3 · 10/10 · 9 May 2004]

Being interested in what is known as "the Irish question" or "the troubles", I thought this could be a good film to watch, as it is based on true facts. It went far beyond what I expected. I already knew John Lynch as an actor from "In the name of the father", but was greatly surprised by the strength and passion of his acting... I have to admit his character is "the good boy" of the story, whatever your views on the conflict, but he does it really well. The events narrated in the film are quite hard to understand when considered that they happened in 1981, and at the beginning I was tempted to considered the film as good propaganda from the nationalist side. I did a lot of research on the real story, and found out it is as accurate as any documentary would be. Some parts may be hard to understand if not familiar with the context of the film, but it is, however, a moving film. I have to admit I was crying after the first hour of the film, and I'm not the kind that cries easily while watching a film.

Good Movie

[Neil040 · 9 November 2003]

Just watched tonight.. well I thought it was a good movie

I understand some of the previous comments and its true I am sure that this is not totally accurate to the events.. but then again.. I have watched probably thousands of british films in my life and I would not say that they are all notable for their accuracy to historical facts!

I think helen mirren is so superb as an actress.. any dispute?

I think we have got to get past the past... not easy but some are trying to do this. I am british but feel no sense that the british role in ireland has been healthy overall... I now live in ireland and love the place.. I have also worked in the north and in all the years here have never once felt unwelcome for my accent.

Its a sad terrible thing that happened over so many years.. anyone who believes there is any black and white right and wrong in this is mistaken in my opinion.. its way too complicated.. maybe there is hope ahead of us now..

Struggling for dignity

[RachelLone · 7 March 2004]

'Some Mother's Son' focuses on the 1981 Maze Prison hunger strike in which the IRA captives demanded to be treated as POW instead of criminals, for they regard their struggle as a war, not 'ordinary' crime. The leader, Bobby Sands, was elected in jail as MP but eventually died on 5 May, 1981. Several mothers then intervened in order to save their sons' lives: they did not want to watch their sons die.

I personally think this film is quite thought-provoking and the acting is convincing. Helen Mirren, as Kathleen Quigley, who has not been aware that her son Gerard (Aidan Gillen) is an IRA soldier, is determined to help her son to survive, while Fionnula Flanagan (Annie Higgins) is terrific as a nationalist mother who is right behind her son's beliefs but eventually witnesses his death, only after losing her other son, who is shot dead by the British Troops.

Some might say many of us are IRA sympathisers and that they are nothing but a bunch of killers, that they are nothing but a bunch of terrorists. However, as one reviewer put, 'there would be no IRA if there was no British oppression'.

Well put together and shot film

[Iainkelt · 22 October 2004]

Obviously the other "reviewer" of this film and other films touching upon any subject related to England and its colonies (past and present) went in with an opinion already formed. If you check the other films this user has commented on, its all the same complaint that no one ever sticks up for the British. For those of you who are capable of making decisions without resorting to cheap emotional attacks, this is an interesting film and one you might consider. Make no mistake, there are no easy answers to these issues, but one would hope that as we are able avoid censoring other peoples' viewing habits by use of incendiary references to 9/11.

This film is widely respected and still shown across the country at times on cable. Regardless of your personal political beliefs, it is a very interesting story that transcends the specific location of its events. Issues of honor, family, sacrifice, conflict and ambiguity flow through this film and the impression I got was much more about the struggle to come to terms with an extremely difficult situation as opposed to anything about the factual situation. Any reference to 9/11 and "glamorizing terrorists" when talking about this film is both ridiculous and offensive. Not to mention that it ignores the vast majority of the story and the difficulty of the situation on all sides. Whether or not you agree with the factual depiction, this is a very well acted and well put together film that chronicles some of the pain and anguish of a particularly unpleasant period of time and does so beautifully through its storytelling.