My Left Foot

My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown, also known simply as My Left Foot, is a 1989 biographical comedy drama film co-written and directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Brenda Fricker, Ray McAnally, Hugh O'Conor and Fiona Shaw. It tells the story of Christy Brown (Day-Lewis), an Irishman born with cerebral palsy, who could control only his left foot. Brown grew up in a poor working-class family, and became a writer and artist. Also starring in the film are Julie Hale, Alison Whelan, Kirsten Sheridan, Declan Croghan, Eanna MacLiam, Marie Conmee, and Cyril Cusack. It is a partly fictional biography, adapted by Shane Connaughton and Jim Sheridan from the book My Left Foot by Brown.

The film was well received by critics and audiences, with Day-Lewis' performance being widely acclaimed. Day-Lewis won the Academy Award and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, while Brenda Fricker won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film was additionally nominated for three other Oscars, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Shane Connaughton and Jim Sheridan, Best Director for Sheridan and the Academy Award for Best Picture. An Irish and British co-production, the British Film Institute ranked My Left Foot the 53rd greatest British film of the 20th century.

Plot
In 1932, Christy Brown is born into a family of 15. After his birth, doctors discover he has severe cerebral palsy. Christy is unable to walk or talk, but still receives love and support from his family, especially his mother. One day, Christy's mother trips down the stairs while in labor and Christy was the only person home to see it. He was able to alert some neighbors and summon them over to help. Christy's father, who never believed Christy would amount to anything, starts to become proud after witnessing him use his left foot, the only body part he can fully control, to write the word "mother" on the floor with a piece of chalk.

Consequently, Christy seeks a hobby in painting. The neighborhood youngsters include him in their activities, like street football, but when he paints a picture and gives it to a girl he likes, she returns it. Later, his father loses his job and the family faces exceptionally difficult hardships, so Christy devises a plan to help his brothers steal coal to their mother's dismay. Christy's mother, who had been gradually gathering some savings in a tin in the fireplace, finally saves enough to buy him a wheelchair.

Christy is then introduced to Dr. Eileen Cole, who takes him to her school for cerebral palsy patients and persuades a friend of hers to hold an exhibition of his work. Christy falls in love with Dr. Cole, but when he learns during the dinner that she is engaged to be married, he considers suicide. His mother helps him build a private studio for himself, but soon afterward his father dies of a stroke, and during the wake Christy instigates a brawl. At this point, Christy starts writing his autobiography, My Left Foot. Dr. Cole returns and they resume their friendship. Later on, Christy attends a charity event where he meets his handler, a nurse named Mary Carr. She begins reading his autobiography. He asks Mary to go out with him and they then happily leave the fete together.

Cast

 * Daniel Day-Lewis as Christy Brown, a man born with cerebral palsy
 * Hugh O'Conor as young Christy Brown
 * Brenda Fricker as Bridget Fagan Brown, Christy's mother
 * Ray McAnally as Patrick Brown, Christy's father
 * Fiona Shaw as Dr. Eileen Cole, Christy's carer
 * Kirsten Sheridan as Sharon Brown, Christy's sister
 * Alison Whelan as Sheila Brown, Christy's sister
 * Eanna MacLiam as Benny Brown, Christy's brother
 * Declan Croghan as Tom Brown, Christy's brother
 * Marie Conremme as Sadie Brown, Christy's sister
 * Cyril Cusack as Lord Castlewelland
 * Phelim Drew as Brian
 * Eileen Colgan as Nan
 * Ruth McCabe as Mary Carr, Christy's handler and eventual wife

Production
Day-Lewis became interested in the film when he read the opening scene, which features him, as Brown, using his left foot to place a record on a player and then placing a needle onto it so that it will play. Lewis said of the scene: 'I knew it couldn't be done...and that intrigued me." Many scenes were filmed through a mirror, as Daniel Day-Lewis could only manipulate his right foot to perform the actions seen in the film. Day-Lewis spent some time preparing for the film at Christy Brown's alma mater in Dublin. He later returned there for a visit, with his Oscar.

Critical response
My Left Foot received very positive reviews. Critic Roger Ebert gave the film four stars out of four and stated, "My Left Foot is a great film for many reasons, but the most important is that it gives us such a complete picture of this man's life. It is not an inspirational movie, although it inspires. It is not a sympathetic movie, although it inspires sympathy. It is the story of a stubborn, difficult, blessed and gifted man who was dealt a bad hand, who played it brilliantly, and who left us some good books, some good paintings and the example of his courage. It must not have been easy". Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 97% of 35 film critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 7.9/10. The site's critical consensus states, "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." On Metacritic, the film has a 97 out of 100 rating based on 17 critic reviews.