A women spends 50 years looking for the son taken by the sisters of the convent where her parents placed her.

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A candid young woman named Philomena Lee is sent to a convent by her family when she becomes pregnant. The adorable little boy she gives birth to is taken away from her by the sisters – without telling her what they’re doing. And so Philomena spends the rest of her life looking for her son, until 50 years later, when she goes to the US accompanied by a depressed but talented journalist...

Stephen Frears returns to social tragedy. Winner at the Venice Film Festival and starring the excellent Judi Dench, this film is a magnificent portrait of a woman – one more in a long list for Frears, in the wake of Doris & Doreen (1978), Mary Reiley (1996) starring Julia Roberts, Madame Henderson (2004) also starring Judi Dench, The Queen (2005) and most recently Tamara Drewe (2010). But it's 1993's The Snapper that comes closest to Philomena, a remarkable story sprinkled with many welcome touches of humor.