Everything about this biopic seems far-fetched: the subject, Irish charity founder Christina Noble; the lead actress, comedian Deirdre Kane, and director Stephen Bradley, best-known for comedy-horror Boy Eats Girl.
Still, despite some predictable bumps, the elements combine to create a safe, life-affirming biopic that celebrates the determination and perseverance of a formidable woman.
With dual timelines, ’60s Dublin and late ’80s Vietnam, Bradley explores both Christina Noble’s formative years and how she came to campaign to improve the living conditions of street children in Hoh Chi Minh City. Noble’s experiences living in a tenement and begging on the street allow her to empathise with the “bui yoi” kids.
Sarah Greene plays young Christina, feisty and resilient in the face of unbearable tragedy. The cruelty and stigma facing young mothers in Ireland is laid bare when she gives birth in a nun-run shelter. Liam Cunningham’s selfish alcoholic father sets the tone for Christina’s doomed relationships with men. Greene is utterly engaging: luminous and ballsy, determined to survive. As her older self, Kane fares less well: a clumsy script forces her to constantly explain her motivations. Her comedic skills are wasted too: Noble’s charisma is reduced to a series of stilted “Don’t I know it!”-style punchlines.
There’s also a reluctance to show real horror – the rape and child abuse happening off-screen. Still, this is a well-paced feature and presents evocative visual portraits of Ireland and Vietnam. And who could argue Noble doesn’t deserve the recognition?