This Is My Father

Plot

The film portrays a tragic love story set in late 1930s Ireland, 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), a shy labourer in his early thirties, and the search decades later by their son, Kieran Johnson, (James Caan) 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.

The story highlights the issues of prejudice, classism, alcoholism and social and religious conservatism in rural 1930s Ireland.

Cast

Main cast

Aidan Quinn as Kieran O'Dea

James Caan as Kieran Johnson

Moya Farrelly as Fiona Flynn

Jacob Tierney as Jack

Gina Moxley as Widow Flynn

Supporting Cast

Colm Meaney as Seamus (Bed and Breakfast Owner)

Moira Deady as Mrs. Kearney

John Cusack as Eddie Sharp (Pilot)

Brendan Gleeson as Garda Jim

Pat Shortt as Garda Ben

Maria McDermottroe as Mrs. Maney

Donal Donnelly as John Maney

Eamon Morrissey as Father Mooney

Stephen Rea 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 as Nuala

Reception

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