Evelyn Details

Triumph-over-adversity stories don't come much more manipulative than in this syrupy, true-life drama set in 1950s Ireland. A warm, if contrived, account of paternal love, this movie sees Pierce Brosnan put 007 on hold to play Desmond Doyle, a charismatic single father struggling to bring up a trio of cutesy kids after his wife abandons them. Doyle is devastated when the authorities force his brood into care and what follows is a poignant, albeit predictable, courtroom battle to get them back. Endearing performances from Stephen Rea, Aidan Quinn and, in particular, Alan Bates as Doyle's legal team add colour and weight to an essentially simplistic tale, and Brosnan's winning charm is in full effect. However, it's Sophie Vavasseur as Doyle's young daughter, the titular Evelyn, who steals the show. Her bright-eyed and earnest character is a cliché, yet she plays it so beautifully that all but the hardest hearts will melt.

Based on a true story that brought an alteration to Irish law, this small-scale domestic drama is sweet enough to rot the teeth and is played for more than it's worth by its cast.