In the Name of the Father

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In the Name of the Father

R

Released Dec 12, 1993

2h 12m

Biography

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

51 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Unemployed young Irishman Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) gets by as a petty thief in 1970s Belfast. When local IRA leaders get fed up with him, he flees to England and meets up with his friend Paul Hill (John Lynch). On the same night that the IRA bombs a nearby pub, the friends get kicked out of their communal digs and are forced to sleep in a park. He returns to Belfast, but is arrested as the prime suspect in the bombing and imprisoned, where he spends 15 years trying to clear his name.

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Critics Consensus

Impassioned and meticulously observed, In the Name of the Father mines rousing drama from a factual miscarriage of justice, aided by scorching performances and director Jim Sheridan's humanist focus.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Jim Sheridan tells his gripping tale with a fury that stokes up an audience the way early Costa Gavras movies used to do.

Feb 15, 2018

Full Review

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

Daniel Day-Lewis is remarkable.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 28, 2014

Full Review

Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

In the Name of the Father is a model of this kind of engaged, enraged filmmaking, a politically charged Fugitive that uses one of the most celebrated cases of recent British history to steamroller an audience with the power of rousing, polemical cinema.

Feb 28, 2014

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...an overlong yet consistently engaging drama that benefits from its inherently compelling subject matter and raft of top-notch performances...

Rated: 3/4

Apr 5, 2025

Full Review

Graeme Tuckett

The Post NZ

In The Name Of The Father is a gritty, compelling and engrossing film. Day-Lewis is extraordinary, of course.

Jun 3, 2022

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Candice Russell

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

In the Name of the Father is a deeply stirring film that lessens the moral authority of the I.R.A., English soldiers in Ireland, the British police and the British government.

Feb 28, 2014

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Anna W

This is one of my favourite films. I've seen it about 5 times and each time I watch it, it is always as harrowing and gripping as the first time. Daniel Day Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite and Emma Thompson are truly outstanding and I'm always surprised at the fact they didn't get Oscars for their performances. The song by Sinéad O'Connor for the soundtrack is also perfect.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/20/25

Full Review

John C

In the Name of the Father is a deeply stirring film that lessens the moral authority of the I.R.A., English soldiers in Ireland, the British police and the British government

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/21/25

Full Review

Olivia J

An excellent biopic of a true story of a group of people who were wrongly accused of a bombing and how the british government tried to hide the fact that they were innocent.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/01/25

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Biker B

One of the greatest movies showing how the Irish have been treated by the British! And outstanding movie that should be in everyone's collection!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/17/25

Full Review

Daniel C. M

Even if you feel like the pacing let's it down a bit, this is still a very powerful movie. May the atrocities of the bri*ish never be forgotten.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/03/24

Full Review

Kathryn V

To my delight scrolling through movies, I found this movie with Daniel Day Lewis I had never seen. He is just the best, interesting story, too.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/11/24

Full Review

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Jim Sheridan

Director

Daniel Day-Lewis

Gerry Conlon

Pete Postlethwaite

Giuseppe Conlon

Emma Thompson

Gareth Peirce

John Lynch

Paul Hill

Corin Redgrave

Robert Dixon

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - Dropping Acid in Prison

2:25

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - He Can't Breathe!

2:09

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - Not to Be Shown to the Defense

3:19

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - Prison Takeover

2:17

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - I'm Gonna Shoot Your Dad

2:12

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - Firelight Vigil

1:49

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - Trashing His Cell

2:09

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - I Will Fight On!

2:09

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - IRA Riot

3:12

In the Name of the Father: Official Clip - Improvised Flamethrower

2:19

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Synopsis

Unemployed young Irishman Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) gets by as a petty thief in 1970s Belfast. When local IRA leaders get fed up with him, he flees to England and meets up with his friend Paul Hill (John Lynch). On the same night that the IRA bombs a nearby pub, the friends get kicked out of their communal digs and are forced to sleep in a park. He returns to Belfast, but is arrested as the prime suspect in the bombing and imprisoned, where he spends 15 years trying to clear his name.

Director: Jim Sheridan
Producer: Jim Sheridan
Screenwriter: Terry George, Jim Sheridan
Distributor: Universal Pictures, Argentina Video Home
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Hell's Kitchen Films
Rating: R
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 12, 1993, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.6M
Runtime: 2h 12m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo, DTS, Dolby

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