PHILOMENA *** 1/2

The true story of a sacked BBC correspondent (Steve Coogan) who teams up with a women searching for her son (Judi Dench) - an entertaining film that hits the cords Stephen Frears is best at hitting.

Philomena - 95 minutes, director: Steven Frears  ***1/2 of 4 stars

Philomena is the extraordinary true story of Philomena Lee, a women forced to give up her son, sold essentially into Church slavery. She ultimately has a good life, suppressing the memories of her Anthony until she receives visions of him. Her daughter, a part time cocktail waitress meets the grumpy Martin Sixsmith (played of course by Steve Coogan) at a party and encourages Sixsmith to meet with Philomena (Judi Dench). Sixsmith is down on his luck, formerly a BBC correspondent in Moscow and Washington DC, he left the Beeb for a position as an advisor to the Labor party, and was recently sacked. Embracing his freedom he freelances, although he’d much rather devote his time to his forthcoming book on Russian history.

Philomena’s story sidetracks him; Sixsmith has become an atheist and feels uncomfortable within the church as he and Philomena return to the convent. Times have changed and the church is, as we gather, become savvier about its PR spin. Of course they can’t fool Sixsmith, who can smell spin from his years in the trenches. Getting nowhere he confirms a rumor overheard in a local tavern near the convent, the records that would show whom adopted Anthony had been set ablaze to cover up the fact children were sold to the only ones that could afford them, wealthy Americans. From a photograph Philomena had been leaked years earlier, Sixsmith traces Anthony, now renamed Michael Hess to the US and they continue their journey.

What follows I will not spoil, the film is a rather remarkable mixture of emotions perfectly in tune. Director Stephen Frears has had one of the most diverse filmography of any filmmaker working today from contemporary works like last year’s misfire Lay the Favorite and the wonderful Nick Hornby adaptation High Fidelity, to touching period films like Liam, Cheri and the excellent The Queen. He blends drama with a lighter touch – telling a story that could have very well had been effective if played entirely straight. What immerges isn’t quite a buddy road comedy, but a drama with lighter elements that this kind of situation may bring. Steve Coogan is, as mentioned, as grumpy as usual – a gifted comedian who has the ability to remain detached, this isn’t he first time he’s played a journalist as you know. Here he plays it straight – someone who takes up the cause of Philomena Lee while he connects the dots on what becomes an allegory for just how secretive and self-preserving an organization like the church is.

The film’s last act is extraordinary with Coogan and Frears nailing just the right tone. Judi Dench gives a superb, genuine performance as Philomena Lee – a complex women who in her later years found happiness haunted by the secrets of her past. Entertaining and engaging Philomena is another strong film from Frears. Similar in tone and spirit to The Queen, it is another complex and engaging, yet intimate and oven very funny character study.

Now playing in NY and LA - opening nationwide on Wednesday.