In the film, Philomena
(2013), the audience is confronted with the spectacle of unjustifiable cruelty committed
under religious auspices. Philomena is this victim, and she must struggle to
come to terms with her past ordeal as a young mother at an Abbey as she goes on
a search for her son in America. Her traveling companion, Martin, is a
journalist writing the story from his perspective as an ex-Catholic. Philomena
defends her faith against Martin’s sarcasm even as she comes to terms with just
how cruel the nuns had been to her. In the end, she and Martin confront the
nuns. The question is how, by which I mean, from what direction? The answer has
value in demonstrating how outwardly religious hypocrites can be put in their
place.
The entire essay is at "Philomena"
