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Trailer

My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown

1989Movie1 h 43 minR

Drama
89
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb7.8Letterboxd3.9/5Metacritic978.3Rotten Tomatoes98%92%

A deeply moving, cathartic drama movie about a real life story and growing up, with standout performances and characters.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

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Not for laughs, scares or adrenaline.

Movies with

Story

A film about life, laughter, and the occasional miracle.

No one expects much from Christy Brown, a boy with cerebral palsy born into a working-class Irish family. Though Christy is a spastic quadriplegic and essentially paralyzed, a miraculous event occurs when, at the age of 5, he demonstrates control of his left foot by using chalk to scrawl a word on the floor. With the help of his steely mother — and no shortage of grit and determination — Christy overcomes his infirmity to become a painter, poet and author.

Feels like

  • Biographical Drama
  • Overcoming Adversity
  • Irish Working-Class Life
  • Disability Representation
  • Powerful Performances
  • Triumph of the Human Spirit
  • Family Bonds
  • Social Commentary

Cast

16 of 16

Crew

Directed by
Jim Sheridan
Written by
Jim Sheridan, Shane Connaughton
Produced by
Noel Pearson
Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 7, 1989 · 1 h 43 min · R

Released
April 7, 1989
Runtime
1 h 43 min
Age rating
R
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Made in
Ireland, United Kingdom
Budget
$645,180
Box office
$15 million
Available in
15 countries
Keywords
based on true story

Tropes

Deliberate Values Dissonance, Anguished Declaration of Love, Obfuscating Disability +9

  • Deliberate Values Dissonance
  • Anguished Declaration of Love
  • Obfuscating Disability
  • Handy Feet
  • Oscar Bait
  • Sophisticated as Hell
  • Composite Character
  • Massive Numbered Siblings
  • Flashback
  • Genius Cripple
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold
  • Ironically Disabled Artist

12 of 13 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

4 questions, like "Where can I stream My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown?"

Questions about My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown?

KanopyHoopla

In the United States, My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown is free with ads on Kanopy and Hoopla. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 6 other countries.

Is My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown worth watching?

89
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 89 (IMDb 7.8, Letterboxd 3.9 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 98%, and Metacritic 97). Critics rate it higher (98 out of 100) than audiences (83).

Is My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown okay for kids?

R

Yes: it's rated R in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for family nights.

Is My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.