My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown

My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown tells of a boy born into a large, poor Irish family who is diagnosed with cerebral palsy and given little hope of a normal life. His mother is alone in believing in him, and that belief is rewarded when, as a young child, he manages to write a word on the floor with chalk held in his left foot. That foot becomes his means of communication, and through it he develops into a painter and a writer, contending with his own temper and with the limits others place on him.

The 1989 drama was directed by Jim Sheridan, who wrote the screenplay with Shane Connaughton, and was produced by Noel Pearson. It was Sheridan's first feature, followed by The Field, In the Name of the Father and The Boxer, among other films. Daniel Day-Lewis plays Christy, with Brenda Fricker as Mrs. Brown and smaller roles for Alison Whelan, Kirsten Sheridan, Declan Croghan and Eanna MacLiam in a cast of 69 credited performers.

Made and set between Ireland and Britain, the film took about 15 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 7.8 from roughly 85,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.5 from around 1,000 votes, while its critics' rating stands at 8.5 from 45 reviews, noticeably higher than either audience figure.