My Left Foot

R

Released Nov 10, 1989

1h 43m

Biography

List

98%

45 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

No one expects much from Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis), 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 (Brenda Fricker) -- and no shortage of grit and determination -- Christy overcomes his infirmity to become a painter, poet and author.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Mar 27

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Paramount+

Watch My Left Foot with a subscription on Paramount+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

Critics Consensus

No doubt most will come to My Left Foot for Daniel Day-Lewis' performance, but the movie's refusal to go downbeat will keep it in viewer minds afterwards.

Read Critics Reviews

J M

This is a hugely entertaining and refreshingly unsentimental biopic with a lot of heart and a surprising amount of humor. And it is anchored, of course, by the astonishing Oscar-winning performance by Day Lewis, whose brilliance goes beyond the obvious physical characteristics by making Christy a truly three-dimensional character. Brown was far from a saint, and there are moments when he is hell to be around. I think my favorite section of the film is his growing love for a doctor who is assisting him - a love that is sadly not reciprocated, at least romantically. Anyone who has fallen for someone who can't or won't share our feelings will painfully relate. As very good as the film is, it stops just short of greatness, and I'm not exactly sure why. It feels a bit slight overall, and I didn't feel a huge emotional connection to it. I also don't think it is able to make us fully realize the success he achieved outside of his personal triumphs overcoming his physical limitations. But that's just nit-picking, and all is forgiven when you're in the presence of a performance that feels like a privilege to watch. And kudos as well to Fricker, who also won an Oscar as Brown's mother. It's a bit of a stereotypical role, but she fills it with warmth and strength, and she couldn't be better. - Jeff Marshall, Movie Blogger (Facebook)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/18/24

Full Review

Cork B

Feel good disabled kid makes good. Even though they are all poor and a bunch of then sleep in the same bed, etc, you get the feeling this a a gigantically sanitized version of his life. Even the slapped on ending made me feel like they were saying 'everything is great don't look past here'. The drama and filming, and Lewis' performances are all pretty good. Much of the rest of the movie is a pretty dry paint by numbers rah rah feel good.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/23/23

Full Review

Georgan G

This lovely film shows real human emotion, with terrific acting to boot. This is the 3rd time I've seen it. However, just learned that the end of the real Christy's life wasn't good. Wow.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/15/23

Full Review

Rick D

"I've had nothing but platonic love all me life. Do you know what I say? FUCK PLATO!" Robert Downing Jr. once said to never go full you know what. Well, Daniel day lewis didn't do that in My Left Foot, okay? So chill… The story of Christy Brown. An artist, writer, hopeless romantic, and son. An inspiring movie and inspiring performance by Daniel Day Lewis. They said he never got out of character even when they weren't filming. So much that it frustrated everyone that was a part of it. Kind of funny to think about ha. This is the kind of movie that'll make you question and have assurance in God's existence all in one. His mother, who he adores, is played by the pigeon lady in Home Alone 2. She did great as well. It'll make you think of your mom. I did at least. 5/5

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/07/23

Full Review

Ben D

Christy Brown (Hugh O'Conor/Daniel Day-Lewis) was born with cerebral palsy into a working-class family in Dublin. Instead of teasing and bullying you might expect in this situation, Christy is very much a part of the community and receives nothing but love and tenderness from family and friends, even if that "love" isn't always the kind he seeks. As Christy's disability improves drastically over the years, his ability to display his frustrations with cerebral palsy becomes more pronounced — he has artistic ambitions and needs as a man and human being. Daniel Day-Lewis, who won his first of three Best Actor Oscars for the role, gives an astounding performance. This is the picturesque, urban, cozy side of Ireland — the townhouses, the little garden wherein Christy's family eventually builds him his own space, the pub — with the characters to boot. Moreover, Christy is immensely talented as a writer and painter who can only use his left foot. But even as a growing celebrity, Christy yearns for that pearl in the dark folds of life that is to love and be loved in return. The shot when he writes "mother" for the first time with the chalk (with his foot) and when an adult Christy can no longer withhold his emotions at the fancy dinner are the two best scenes. The recurring red canister in which his mother (Brenda Fricker) hides money for Christy's wheelchair, eventually shot in its burnt and battered state, symbolizes the ardent will of the Brown family in the face of life's challenges (an unplanned pregnancy, a loss of a job). Although the ending elicits joy, the real-life conclusion of the artist's life may have been horrific and depressing, making the story that much more comprehensive and bitter.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/03/23

Full Review

G. W

Good reason it was an academy award winning... Brilliant film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/12/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Jim Sheridan

Director

Daniel Day-Lewis

Christy Brown

Ray McAnally

Mr. Brown

Brenda Fricker

Mrs. Brown

Ruth McCabe

Mary

Fiona Shaw

Dr. Eileen Cole

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

92%

88%

Camille Claudel

95%

90%

An Angel at My Table

97%

88%

What's Love Got to Do With It

77%

67%

Van Gogh

67%

77%

Basquiat

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Rank Daniel Day-Lewis’ 10 Best Movies

RT Exclusive: Pics From There Will Be Blood

Angelina Jolie Considering "Sin City 2"

David Oyelowo's Five Favorite Films

1:06

View more videos

View more photos

Pauline Kael

New Yorker

This is Jim Sheridan’s first feature film, but he’s an experienced man of the theatre, with a moviemaker’s vision and a grownup’s sense of integrity.

Sep 11, 2023

Full Review

Bill Cosford

Miami Herald

[Daniel Day-Lewis's] performance is extraordinary for its subtleties over the obvious physical manifestations The direction by Jim Sheridan is tough-edged.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 16, 2021

Full Review

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

It's the kind of role that showoff stars leap at. Luckily for the film and us, an actor got there first.

Jun 12, 2020

Full Review

Terry Francis

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

The lives depicted in My Left Foot are full-bodied, flesh and blood dramas of existence. There's no sentimentality in any of the performances.

Rated: 4/4

May 9, 2023

Full Review

Roger Moore

Movie Nation

Daniel Day Lewis, Hugh O’Conor and director Jim Sheridan made damned sure that whatever Hollywood thought re: a "stunt performance...” their combined efforts would be never less than a wholly realized human being.

Rated: 4/4

Jan 12, 2023

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

The story is consistently eye-opening, moving, and utterly engaging.

Rated: 8/10

Sep 6, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

No one expects much from Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis), 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 (Brenda Fricker) -- and no shortage of grit and determination -- Christy overcomes his infirmity to become a painter, poet and author.

Director: Jim Sheridan
Producer: Paul M. Heller, Steve Morrison
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Granada Television
Rating: R
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 10, 1989, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 21, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.5M
Runtime: 1h 43m

Most Popular at Home Now