Agnes Browne

1999 Comedy Drama

Actress Anjelica Huston directed and stars in this drama based on Brendan O'Carroll's novel The Mammy. Set in Dublin in 1967, Agnes Browne (Anjelica Huston) is the mother of seven children, barely making ends meet when her husband dies, leaving her to figure out not only how to support the family, but also how to pay for a funeral. To cover the burial expenses, Agnes resorts to borrowing money from a loan shark (Ray Winstone) who isn't interested in special deals for widows or orphans. Agnes learns to scrape up a living selling fruit and vegetables, and makes sure her children get the best education possible, but self-sacrificing Agnes would like one small luxury for herself: Tom Jones will be playing a concert in town soon, and she'd like nothing more than to hear the man sing "It's Not Unusual" live and in person. A French baker with eyes for Agnes (Arno Chevrier) joins forces with her children to see that she gets her wish. Agnes Browne boasts an accurate portrayal of Ireland in the late 1960s, thanks in part to the fact that Huston spent a great deal of time there as a child; the film was shown as part of the Directors Fortnight series at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. more..

Director: Anjelica Huston

Starring: Anjelica Huston, Marion O'Dwyer, Niall O'Shea, Ciaran Owens, Roxanna Williams

Reviews

  • Modest and prosaic, with an unfortunate fairy-tale ending (yes, it features Tom Jones).

    Owen Gleiberman - Entertainment Weekly

    29 November 2012

  • This is a modest but likable film, and Anjelica Huston plays a heroine who makes us smile.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    29 November 2012

  • Has an episodic rhythm and little dramatic tension.

    Stephen Holden - The New York Times

    29 November 2012

  • Huston is a sucker for sentiment, and Agnes Browne is a sap's holiday.

    - Los Angeles Times

    29 November 2012

  • A generally well-made tale of humor and hard luck.

    Michael O'Sullivan - The Washington Post

    29 November 2012

Awards

  • Anjelica Huston

    Ghent International Film Festival (1999)

     
  • Anjelica Huston

    San Sebastián International Film Festival (1999)