''This Is My Father'' is a 1998 film directed by Paul Quinn.

Plot

The film portrays a tragic love story set in late 1930s

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, focusing on the relationship between Fiona Flynn ( Moya Farrelly), a beautiful, feisty seventeen-year-old from a middle-class family, and Kieran O'Dea (

Aidan Quinn Aidan Quinn (born March 8, 1959) is an American actor who made his film debut in '' Reckless'' (1984). He has starred in over 80 feature films, including ''Desperately Seeking Susan'' (1985), '' The Mission'' (1986), ''Stakeout'' (1987), ''Aval ...

), a shy labourer in his early thirties, and the search decades later by their son, Kieran Johnson, (

James Caan James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972) – a performance which earned him Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award an ...

) to find his roots in late 1990s Ireland. The film is told as an interweaving of the nineties setting, where Kieran is hearing the story of his parents, and the events of the 1930s. Kieran Johnson grew into adulthood unaware of his parents' story or of the tragic events that caused his mother to leave Ireland on her own while

pregnant Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops (gestation, gestates) inside a woman, woman's uterus (womb). A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occur ...

. The story highlights the issues of

prejudice Prejudice can be an affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classification of another person based on that person's per ...

classism Class discrimination, also known as classism, is prejudice or discrimination on the basis of social class. It includes individual attitudes, behaviors, systems of policies and practices that are set up to benefit the upper class at the expense of ...

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...

and social and

religious Religion is usually defined as a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sacred site, sanctified places, prophecy, prophecie ...

conservatism in rural 1930s Ireland.

Cast

Main cast *

as Kieran O'Dea *

as Kieran Johnson * Moya Farrelly as Fiona Flynn *

Jacob Tierney Jacob Daniel Tierney (born September 26, 1979) is a Canadian actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for playing Eric in ''Are You Afraid of the Dark?'' (1990–1992) and as the co-writer, director, and executive producer of ...

as Jack *

Gina Moxley Gina Moxley (born 1957) is an Irish playwright, director and actress. She is a member of Aosdána, an elite Irish association of artists. Early life Moxley was born in Cork (city), Cork in 1957. Career Moxley studied fine art at Crawford School ...

as Widow Flynn Supporting Cast *

Colm Meaney Colm J. Meaney (; ga, Colm Ó Maonaigh; born 30 May 1953) is an Irish actor known for playing Miles O'Brien in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999). He has guest-starred on many T ...

as Seamus (Bed and Breakfast Owner) *

Moira Deady Moira Deady, Mrs Hoey (13 March 1922 – 15 November 2010) was an Irish actress. She starred as Mary Riordan, "the quintessential Irish mammy", in ''The Riordans'' from 1965 until the show was cancelled in 1979. She later appeared as Nellie Co ...

as Mrs. Kearney *

John Cusack John Paul Cusack (; born June 28, 1966)(28 June 1996)Today's birthdays ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', ("Actors John Cusack is 30") is an American actor, producer, screenwriter and political activist. He is a son of filmmaker Dick Cusack, and his ol ...

as Eddie Sharp (Pilot) *

Brendan Gleeson Brendan Gleeson (born 29 March 1955) is an Irish actor and film director. He is the recipient of three IFTA Awards, two British Independent Film Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award and has been nominated twice for a BAFTA Award and four times for ...

as Garda Jim *

Pat Shortt Patrick Shortt (born 12 December 1967) is an Irish actor, comedian, writer and entertainer. His role in the 2007 film '' Garage'' led to him receiving the IFTA for Best Actor. Career Shortt toured alongside Jon Kenny as comedy duo D'Unbelieva ...

as Garda Ben * Maria McDermottroe as Mrs. Maney *

Donal Donnelly Donal Donnelly (6 July 1931 – 4 January 2010) was an Irish theatre and film actor. Perhaps best known for his work in the plays of Brian Friel, he had a long and varied career in film, on television and in the theatre. He lived in Ireland, th ...

as John Maney * Eamon Morrissey as Father Mooney *

Stephen Rea Stephen Rea ( ; born 31 October 1946) is an Irish film and stage actor. Rea has appeared in films such as ''V for Vendetta'', ''Michael Collins'', ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''Breakfast on Pluto''. Rea was nominated for the Academy Award ...

as Mission Priest * John Kavanagh as Liam Finneran * Karen Ardiff as Young Mrs. Kearney * Sheila Flitton as Mrs. Madigan * Pauline Hutton as Maria *

Fiona Glascott Fiona Glascott (born 22 November 1982) is an Irish actress. She is best known for portraying a young Minerva McGonagall in the ''Fantastic Beasts'' franchise, a spin-off of the ''Harry Potter'' film series. Early life Glascott was born in Wat ...

as Nuala

Reception

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...

given the film 3 out of 4 stars and compared it to his own visit to Ireland in 1967.

References

External links

* * 1998 films Canadian romantic drama films Irish romantic drama films English-language Canadian films English-language Irish films 1998 romantic drama films 1990s English-language films 1990s Canadian films {{1990s-romantic-drama-film-stub