Dench inhabits the role. Her “Phil” is flinty, but guileless.

Dench's usual brilliance is fully utilized by director Stephen Frears.

...most importantly the film is vindication of the underrated Steve Coogan, not only for his refined performance, a masterclass in restraint, but also for his effortless, subtle script...

...bowed to rapturous applause at the Venice film festival, is an ongoing, confounding delight of a film.

Skuespillet er fremragende og utroligt medtagende, og især den legendariske Oscar-vindende Judi Dench falder fuldstændigt naturligt ind i rollen som den taknemmelige irske dame...

Frears (...) behandler sit materiale med omhu, indføling og ro, så vi kommer ind i historien, personerne og det engelsk-irske landskab.

En otroligt gripande och samtidigt helt underbar verklighetsbaserad historia om en moders villkorslösa kärlek.