With all the drummed up talk about how Eddie Redmayne could win the Oscar because his performance in The Theory of Everything recalls a similar Oscar-winning performance in a much better movie, I think it's time to take another look at that first movie, especially since it's out on blu-ray today. Daniel Day-Lewis surprised everyone with his portrayal of Irish writer Christy Brown in My Left Foot, and frankly it's still one of the most impressive performances in film history (and one that didn't make people think of another, better movie at the time it came out). The truth is this biopic directed by Jim Sheridan was miles better than Theory of Everything, because it focused entirely on Brown and what he achieved despite being born with cerebral palsy, and the last word anyone would use to describe this moving film would be "superficial." It was a great movie and when you see it, Day-Lewis's all-encompassing performance will likely overshadow any other actor you'll ever see who tries to play a person with a physical handicap.
Original 1989 Trailer:
