"My Left Foot"
reviewed by Richard Watson

No one can argue that the acting in the film is superb. Right from the beginning you can see and painfully feel the tenseness, spasticity and rigidity of Brown's muscles and the intense concentration it requires for him to do the simplest things. An actor/ director friend of mine asked me afterwards whether Lewis was really cerebral palsied. I regard it a major accomplishment to pull off both Brown's Irish and cerebral palsied accents! Lewis has played diverse roles in such movies as "Room With A View", "My Beautiful Launderette" and "Stars and Bars".

I guess I can see parallels between Brown's life and my own, though certainly I never experienced the poverty and the poor living conditions he knew as a child growing up in the slums of Dublin. And I'm sure I do not have the same incredibly happy ending to look forward to. But I do understand the frustration, disappointment and rage he suffered in that climactic restaurant scene in which the woman he loved announced her engagement to the man who arranged his first art exhibit. What could he do? Run? He had no choice but to face the situation. And I think it took guts. And if we can simplify his behaviour as abuse, then it certainly was eloquent. I thought one of the funniest scenes in the film, and perhaps the saddest, was when he took the tablecloth in his teeth as he was being pulled away from the table.

As for the gaps in the story, it appeared to me that Brown learned to read and write because he was always there when his parents helped his brothers and sisters with their homework everyday. As for inspiration, haven't you found that people with verbal communication difficulties turn to writing as a release. It's highly therapeutic; and then we get to call it art.

Background Information

Books and movies are often based on true stories. Have you seen a movie that was based on a true story? Have you ever really identified with a character in a movie or book? Talk about any characters you know of that you think are like you, or have gone through some of the same things you've gone through.

Questions

1. How does Richard know that the acting is good?

2. What is superb?

3. Is Lewis (the actor) really cerebral palsied?

4. What other movies has Lewis been in?

5. What is a role?

6. Why do you think there aren't many movies out there about people with disabilities?

7. Where did the character, Brown, grow up?

8. Why do you think Richard could understand the frustration, disappointment and rage that he saw the character suffer?

9. What is another word for guts?

10. How do you think a scene can be both funny and sad?