My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown

November. 10,1989      R
Rating:
7.8
Trailer Synopsis Cast

No one expects much from Christy Brown, a boy with cerebral palsy born into a working-class Irish family. Though Christy is a spastic quadriplegic and essentially paralyzed, a miraculous event occurs when, at the age of 5, he demonstrates control of his left foot by using chalk to scrawl a word on the floor. With the help of his steely mother — and no shortage of grit and determination — Christy overcomes his infirmity to become a painter, poet and author.

Daniel Day-Lewis as  Christy Brown
Brenda Fricker as  Mrs. Brown
Kirsten Sheridan as  Sharon
Eanna MacLiam as  Benny
Cyril Cusack as  Lord Castlewelland
Phelim Drew as  Brian
Ruth McCabe as  Mary
Fiona Shaw as  Dr. Eileen Cole
Ray McAnally as  Mr. Brown
Pat Laffan as  Barman

Similar titles

Manhattan
Prime Video
Manhattan
Manhattan explores how the life of a middle-aged television writer dating a teenage girl is further complicated when he falls in love with his best friend's mistress.
Manhattan 1979
The Last Emperor
Max
The Last Emperor
A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.
The Last Emperor 1987
Titanic
Prime Video
Titanic
101-year-old Rose DeWitt Bukater tells the story of her life aboard the Titanic, 84 years later. A young Rose boards the ship with her mother and fiancé. Meanwhile, Jack Dawson and Fabrizio De Rossi win third-class tickets aboard the ship. Rose tells the whole story from Titanic's departure through to its death—on its first and last voyage—on April 15, 1912.
Titanic 2017
The Usual Suspects
Prime Video
The Usual Suspects
Held in an L.A. interrogation room, Verbal Kint attempts to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord, Keyser Soze, not only exists, but was also responsible for drawing him and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro harbor – leaving few survivors. Verbal lures his interrogators with an incredible story of the crime lord's almost supernatural prowess.
The Usual Suspects 1995
Catch Me If You Can
Prime Video
Catch Me If You Can
A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. An FBI agent makes it his mission to put him behind bars. But Frank not only eludes capture, he revels in the pursuit.
Catch Me If You Can 2002
Flag Day
Prime Video
Flag Day
A father lives a double life as a counterfeiter, bank robber and con man in order to provide for his daughter.
Flag Day 2021
Before Sunset
Max
Before Sunset
Nine years later, Jesse travels across Europe giving readings from a book he wrote about the night he spent in Vienna with Celine. After his reading in Paris, Celine finds him, and they spend part of the day together before Jesse has to again leave for a flight. They are both in relationships now, and Jesse has a son, but as their strong feelings for each other start to return, both confess a longing for more.
Before Sunset 2004
One Chance
Freevee
One Chance
This film follows the remarkable and inspirational true story of Paul Potts, a shy, bullied shop assistant by day and an amateur opera singer by night.
One Chance 2014

You May Also Like

Full Metal Jacket
Max
Full Metal Jacket
A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the U.S.-Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.
Full Metal Jacket 1987
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Starz
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
An Israeli counterterrorism soldier with a secretly fabulous ambition to become a Manhattan hairstylist. Zohan's desire runs so deep that he'll do anything -- including faking his own death and going head-to-head with an Arab cab driver -- to make his dreams come true.
You Don't Mess with the Zohan 2008
There Will Be Blood
Paramount+
There Will Be Blood
Ruthless silver miner, turned oil prospector, Daniel Plainview, moves to oil-rich California. Using his son to project a trustworthy, family-man image, Plainview cons local landowners into selling him their valuable properties for a pittance. However, local preacher Eli Sunday suspects Plainview's motives and intentions, starting a slow-burning feud that threatens both their lives.
There Will Be Blood 2007
A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child
Max
A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child
Alice finds the deadly dreams of Freddy Krueger starting once again. This time, the taunting murderer is striking through the sleeping mind of her unborn child.
A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child 1989
Back to the Future Part III
Prime Video
Back to the Future Part III
The final installment of the Back to the Future trilogy finds Marty digging the trusty DeLorean out of a mineshaft and looking for Doc in the Wild West of 1885. But when their time machine breaks down, the travelers are stranded in a land of spurs. More problems arise when Doc falls for pretty schoolteacher Clara Clayton, and Marty tangles with Buford Tannen.
Back to the Future Part III 1990
Frida
Paramount+
Frida
A biography of artist Frida Kahlo, who channeled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work.
Frida 2002
Interstellar
Prime Video
Interstellar
The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
Interstellar 2014
Casablanca
Max
Casablanca
In Casablanca, Morocco in December 1941, a cynical American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.
Casablanca 1943
Nine
Prime Video
Nine
Arrogant, self-centered movie director Guido Contini finds himself struggling to find meaning, purpose, and a script for his latest film endeavor. With only a week left before shooting begins, he desperately searches for answers and inspiration from his wife, his mistress, his muse, and his mother.
Nine 2009
Pink Cadillac
Pink Cadillac
A bounty hunter helps out the wife of a bail-jumper after her child is kidnapped by neo-Nazi types.
Pink Cadillac 1989

Reviews

Lawbolisted
1989/11/10

Powerful

... more
Exoticalot
1989/11/11

People are voting emotionally.

... more
AutCuddly
1989/11/12

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

... more
Dana
1989/11/13

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

... more
wisneskilife
1989/11/14

Daniel Day-Lewis proves that he is the greatest actor of a generation. No other human could have fit the mold for this role. The story is incredible and you truly feel like you're experiencing a story instead of just watching it through a screen. Bravo.

... more
Anonymous002
1989/11/15

The name suggests this the story of Christy brown but the film is far away from reality. The character of Dr. Eileen Cole was completely fictional . There was no such love story in Brown's life . Nothing much was shown about the difficulties that Brown faced due to cerebral palsy . Nothing much about his childhood and his parents grown him . The film ended immediately after his marriage because people want happy ending. But in his real life , her wife made his real miserable . Even if we forget about accuracy , this film still stinks. It's not a biography , it's a collection of some incidents of his life which hardly have any connection. It is supposed to be a story of a man with cerebral palsy but nothing much is shown about Brown's struggle due to that disease. Nothing about the equipments used by the doctors. And not many scenes between Christy and Eileen . I have to admit acting was great . Surprising that Hugh O' Connor remained unnoticed . Otherwise , a huuuuge letdown.

... more
Jafar Iqbal
1989/11/16

'My Left Foot' is the remarkable story of Christy Brown, born into a working-class Irish family with cerebral palsy. Growing up in a life full of poverty and extreme prejudice, Christy defied everyone's expectations. Using his left foot, the only part of his body he had proper control over, the young man learned to write and paint.I could spend this review talking about the film's excellent portrayal of working class Ireland, and the working class Irish family specifically. I could talk about how the film does a good job of showing how the attitudes towards Christy Brown changed as Ireland's own political landscape changed. I could probably also talk about the role of women in Christy's life, from his mother and sisters, to the loves in his life. All of these things are worthy of mention.However, when talking about 'My Left Foot', there is one thing that stands out above everything else; that being Daniel Day-Lewis. Day-Lewis had already proved his acting chops in the excellent 'My Beautiful Laundrette, but it was this movie that put him on the map globally. And rightly so: he is absolutely fantastic as Christy Brown.Acting is difficult at the best of times, when you're playing a fully-functioning human being. What Day-Lewis achieves, therefore, is even more admirable. It is an extremely effective and realistic portrayal of someone suffering from cerebral palsy, and the actor goes gung-ho with both the physicality expressiveness required for the role. It is a joy to watch.An honourable mention also needs to go to Hugh O'Conor, who plays the younger Brown. I can only assume that it is even harder for a child to go through the rigours that the role requires, but O'Conor is brilliant. What makes the character difficult to play is that, in trying to make it look real physically, the emotion required can be lost. Both actors avoid that problem with what seems like relative ease: at no point does the efficacy or emotion of the moments falter.All the other stuff mentioned above are worthy of talking about, if I intended to write a longer review. But for this small thing, I think it is more than enough to say that 'My Left Foot' deserves to be seen just for this landmark Daniel Day-Lewis performance. Whatever you may think of the film as a whole, or whether you care about the story of Christy Brown or not, it is secondary to the simple appreciation for an actor at the top of his game.

... more
claytonchurch1
1989/11/17

I like Daniel Day-Lewis. I get what he was after (not milking our sympathy and giving an accurate portrayal). That said, this movie was boring. Boring.First of all, the storyline is just not that great. I realize it's Christy Brown's life. I don't dispute that he's amazing; nor that his mom was amazing; nor his siblings, who, too, are wonderfully loving. It's just not that great a "plot."Secondly, I can be very emotional, but this movie didn't make me cry, laugh, feel indignant, or teach me any great life lesson. I wasn't inspired, and felt no sense of triumph.Thirdly, watching the movie was like someone saying to me, "Hey, there's this guy I read about with cerebral palsy. All he could control was his left foot, so he wrote and painted with it. His paintings were actually very good, and he typed with his toe." My response? "Wow" (with no exclamation point). Am I interested to hear more? No. Am I glad he told me? Not really.Lastly, Daniel Day-Lewis's acting was so good, that I could understand only 15% of his words. Tough to watch a movie when you can't understand the main character. Give me a break. This may be the case with some individuals with severe CP (but not with my CP friends, 90% of whose words I understand), but even if it were the case for Christy Brown, I mean--come on--I'm watching a movie here. Make me a concession. I know, I know. If he were my brother, I'd have to learn. But this is a movie. I've got two hours, not a background of twelve years listening to this guy and thereby learning to understand him. Speak understandably, DDL, for the sake of the movie viewers; we'll still get your point. DDL's unclear speech causes one to try to figure out through the whole movie what he's just said by the context of how everyone else in the movie responds. Let me understand his words. Speak so that I can. Ugghhh.

... more