Synopsis
Desmond Doyle is devastated when his wife abandons their family on the day after Christmas. His unemployment, and the fact that there is no woman in the house to care for the children—Evelyn, Dermot and Maurice—make it clear to the authorities this is an untenable situation. The Catholic Church and the Irish courts decide to put the Doyle children into Church-run orphanages.
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Cast
- Pierce BrosnanDesmond Doyle
- Aidan QuinnNick Barron
- Julianna MarguliesBernadette Beattie
- Stephen ReaMichael Beattie
- John LynchSenior Counsel Mr. Wolfe
- Sophie VavasseurEvelyn Doyle
- Alan BatesThomas Connolly
- Niall BeaganDermot Doyle
- Hugh McDonaghMaurice Doyle
- Mairead DevlinCharlotte Doyle
Recommendations
- 75
Philadelphia Inquirer
Doesn't overdo it on the 1950s period charm -- lots of tweed, old cars and bikes, great woolly sweaters and painted rowhouses -- and the performances never get out of hand, even when the plot does. - 75
Chicago Sun-Times
Told with the frank simplicity of a classic well-made picture, it tells its story, nothing more, nothing less, with no fancy stuff. We relax as if we've found a good movie on cable. Story is everything here. - 67
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
It's crowd-pleasing stuff, to be sure. - 63
New York Post
Despite its treacly sentimentality, predictability and gutless evasiveness about the power of the church in 1950s Ireland, Evelyn manages to be an enjoyable piece of family entertainment. - 60
Washington Post
As vivid as many scenes are, there are just as many that seem taken directly out of the Cute Irish Movie notebook. - 60
TV Guide Magazine
While Brosnan, an Irishman by birth, lays it on bit thick, his performance is surprisingly effective. - 60
Chicago Reader
Soggy and predictable screenplay. - 50
Miami Herald
There was a fine family drama to be made here, but what we get instead is too sweet to swallow.
