286. Herself; movie review

 

HERSELF

Cert 15

98 mins

BBFC advice: Contains domestic abuse, very strong language

Why do some men beat their partners?

It is almost as difficult for us to comprehend as why the victims put up with it.

Phyllida Lloyd's Herself offers explanations but also alights upon a heroine who finally decides to go her own way.

Its star and co-writer, Clare Dunne plays Sandra who escapes her violent husband (Ian Lloyd Anderson) with her two children (Molly McCann and Ruby Rose O'Hara).

She juggles two jobs while living in a funded hotel room with her children.

This trauma is exacerbated by trying to keep the wife-beater out of her life despite the very stringent orders placed upon him.

Certainly, we were very surprised that he had any access to his children and that it was her responsibility to deliver them to him.

I digress. This is a film about her determination to break out of the poverty trap and give her kids the best of a bad job.

This begins with their accommodation but she is on a long waiting list for social housing and cannot afford a private dwelling.

She is excited by an advert suggesting that homes could be built for €35,000 but has two issues: how to raise the money and where to find the land.

She finds an unexpected ally in the crotchety, fragile but wealthy woman (Harriet Walter) for whom she cleans.

Is it really possible to build a house to alleviate homelessness? Thankfully, Herself keeps it real by showing just how difficult it is.

Dunne gives a compelling performance as a mother who is desperate to do what is right for her children despite many hurdles.

The highlight is a brilliant court room scene which highlights how the system is balanced against her.

And while Mrs W questioned the easy access a violent husband had to his children, Lloyd's film gave us plenty to chew-on in our usual post-movie discussion.

Reasons to watch: Enthralling family drama

Reasons to avoid: Disturbing scenes

Laughs: Two

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Did you know? In a hard-hitting report,  a new coalition of NGOs, which includes Barnardos, Safe Ireland, Women’s Aid, the ISPCC and the Daughters of Charity, says abusive parents are routinely granted unsupervised access to children; mothers’ concerns about child abuse are minimised; and custody arrangements which “escalate” domestic violence are ordered by the courts.

The final word. Clare Dunne: “I just had a friend who was basically in that similar situation, She didn’t go on to build a house like Sandra, but I was inspired by, I suppose, the injustice of it all.” Deadline

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