Herself

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2:31

Herself

R

Released Dec 30, 2020

1h 37m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

94%

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140 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Single mother Sandra (Clare Dunne) escapes her abusive partner with her two young children, only to find herself trapped in temporary accommodation. After months of struggling, she draws inspiration from one of her daughter’s bedtime stories and hits upon the idea of self-building an affordable home. She finds an architect who provides her with plans and is offered land by Peggy (Harriet Walter), a woman she cleans for. Aido (Conleth Hill), a building contractor, appears willing to help, too. But as her past rears its head in the form of Gary (Ian Lloyd Anderson), her possessive ex, and as bureaucrats fight back against her independent spirit, will Sandra be able to rebuild her life from the ground up?

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Critics Consensus

Sensitively directed by Phyllida Lloyd and brought to life by co-writer Clare Dunne's starring performance, Herself charts one woman's journey with empathy and grace.

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Christina Newland

iNews.co.uk

Herself stays formally interesting in its use of jagged flashback structure and a woe-filled but fiery monologue about the treatment of women, wives and mothers from Dunne.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 23, 2024

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

It's got foundations rooted in reality. The body off the house is in-between the dream and the fulfillment, and it's roof has its head in the air...I enjoyed it very much.

Sep 21, 2021

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Lloyd makes something genuinely nightmarish of the worst attacks, but Dunne's creased vulnerability ... keeps us tethered to waking reality.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 17, 2021

Full Review

Annlee Ellingson

CineWomen

Phyllida Lloyd’s Herself is a modest Irish movie about a single mom who builds a little house for herself and her two young daughters. Sweet enough, but the circumstances that motivate her plan ... throb with urgent topicality.

Jul 28, 2024

Full Review

M.N. Miller

Ready Steady Cut

Clare Dunne gives a resilient and empowering performance.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 11, 2022

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

“Herself” is an interesting mix of clear-eyed movie realism and life-affirming drama.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 17, 2022

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Saundra H

E the storyline and acting was job well done

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/03/21

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First L

Horrible movie!!!!! !!!!!!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/06/21

Full Review

Stephen C

1 hour and 37 minutes of drama. Rated R for Some Domestic Violence and Language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/27/25

Full Review

Six S

A highly watchable film for the most part. The domestic violence is absolutely understandable, the broken eye I have had too so it's horribly real. Building a house because the council can't is a bit ridiculous isn't it. Not feasible usually, she could because she picked up her cleaning client off the floor? The older lady didn't even give a reason why she gave all the money, some backstory is missing/cut from the film. The court scenes were silly because nobody shouts out like that, they don't. It's daft to do so, I wish films would be more real about that. Anyway, I liked it in the first half, it gripped me. The rest is meh but overall I did sort of like it. No idea of the main actresses' name, but she portrayed an abused woman very well. The way she was almost scared to talk to anyone is very real. Plus, I know the injury isn't real but mine is better now. In summary, good depiction of DV, nonsense of house building.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/05/25

Full Review

Maura D

It's a very engaging movie. It shows what can happen if people don't just judge.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Outstanding performances keep "Herself" from being just another formulaic movie about a mother trying to establish a home for her and her children after leaving an abusive lowlife husband. Claire Dunne is especially impressive as the abused wife who had the strength to leave. The girls who play her daughters were also great, seemingly actual sisters in real life by their interaction and natural chemistry with one another. 3 stars

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

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Phyllida Lloyd

Director

Clare Dunne

Sandra

Harriet Walter

Peggy

Conleth Hill

Aido

Cathy Belton

Jo

Rebecca O'Mara

Grainne

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Herself: Trailer 1

2:31

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Synopsis

Single mother Sandra (Clare Dunne) escapes her abusive partner with her two young children, only to find herself trapped in temporary accommodation. After months of struggling, she draws inspiration from one of her daughter’s bedtime stories and hits upon the idea of self-building an affordable home. She finds an architect who provides her with plans and is offered land by Peggy (Harriet Walter), a woman she cleans for. Aido (Conleth Hill), a building contractor, appears willing to help, too. But as her past rears its head in the form of Gary (Ian Lloyd Anderson), her possessive ex, and as bureaucrats fight back against her independent spirit, will Sandra be able to rebuild her life from the ground up?

Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Producer: Rory Gilmartin, Ed Guiney, Sharon Horgan
Screenwriter: Malcolm Campbell, Clare Dunne
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Production Co: Screen Ireland, British Film Institute, BBC Films, Element Pictures, Merman Films
Rating: R (Some Domestic Violence|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 30, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 8, 2021
Runtime: 1h 37m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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