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Evelyn (2002)
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Reviews Counted:106
Fresh:69
Rotten:37
Average Rating:6.1/10
Consensus: Though predictable and sometimes overly sentimental, Evelyn still manages to be heartwarming.
Theatrical Release:Dec 13, 2002 Limited
Box Office: $1,341,151
Synopsis: Pierce Brosnan stars as Desmond Doyle, an Irishman whose troubles mount after his philandering wife runs away with another man. As a single, unemployed father with a penchant for Dublin's pubs,... Pierce Brosnan stars as Desmond Doyle, an Irishman whose troubles mount after his philandering wife runs away with another man. As a single, unemployed father with a penchant for Dublin's pubs, Doyle is deemed an unfit parent, and his daughter and two younger sons are placed in orphanages. Despite his problems, Doyle is an utterly devoted dad and decides to fight for custody of his children and his right to raise them alone. Doyle's crack pro bono legal team--played by Stephen Rea, Aidan Quinn, and Alan Bates--takes his case all the way to the Irish Supreme Court in 1953, challenging the church and courts. Typically dapper Brosnan is exceedingly likable as down-on-his-luck Doyle, a common man who becomes a real-life hero, in this period piece. Sophie Vavasseur is a scene-stealer as Evelyn, Doyle's oldest child and the film's namesake, and Julianna Margulies adopts a believable accent as the barmaid who inspires Doyle to clean up his act if he wants his family back. Based on the true story of a court decision that changed the lives of many Irish families, EVELYN is directed by Bruce Beresford (TENDER MERCIES, DRIVING MISS DAISY). [More]
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Aidan Quinn, Julianna Margulies, Stephen Rea
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Aidan Quinn, Julianna Margulies, Stephen Rea, John Lynch, Sophie Vavasseur, Alan Bates
Director: Bruce Beresford
Director: Bruce Beresford
Screenwriter: Paul Pender
Producer: Pierce Brosnan, Beau St. Clair, Michael Ohoven
Composer: Stephen Endelman
Studio: MGM/UA
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Reviews for Evelyn
The story is naturally poignant, but first-time screenwriter Paul Pender overloads it with sugary bits of business.
It's Kramer vs. Kramer, without the Kramers, a 'true story' without much of the truth.
Stephen Rea, Aidan Quinn, and Alan Bates play Desmond's legal eagles, and when joined by Brosnan, the sight of this grandiloquent quartet lolling in pretty Irish settings is a pleasant enough thing, 'tis.
The film’s lack of personality permeates all its aspects — from the TV movie-esque, affected child acting to the dullest Irish pub scenes ever filmed.
This is Brosnan's film to own (but for the welcome screen time of the too-little-seen Alan Bates), and own it he does.
Far too simplified to be effective and far too manipulative to be affective.
Your head may want to resist Evelyn, but your heart will have a hard time of it.
From any other filmmaker, Evelyn would be merely a forgettable good intention, but when you consider that Beresford is the man who brought us Black Robe and Breaker Morant, it approaches heartbreak.
The beauty of the core story tramples the moments where the Irish-set drama sinks into blarney.
The sentiment is balanced with cheeky Irish humor, Pierce Brosnan is fine as Desmond, and there's a sobering sense of history.
That the events really happened offers no excuse for the button-pushing, by-the-numbers approach taken by Beresford and screenwriter Paul Pender.
Beresford's direction makes sure that grit and a certain ugliness get equal screen time with the requisite heartwarming qualities.
There was a fine family drama to be made here, but what we get instead is too sweet to swallow.
So verbally flatfooted and so emotionally predictable or bland that it plays like the standard made-for-TV movie.
There is enough good and good-spirited about Evelyn -- beginning with the performances by Brosnan and Vavasseur -- to forgive its more treacly moments.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
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