Philomena

Steve Coogan keeps surprising us with his evolution from very funny comedian doing characters such as Alan Partridge to an actor and writer of some nuanced and emotionally moving films. Not that his comic creations haven't conveyed poignancy on many occasions but he really pulls emotional maturity and his obvious writing skills together in the rightly acclaimed Philomena.

Co-writer Coogan stars alongside Judi Dench, and they both give career-highlight performances directed by Stephen Frears, who's been delivering audiences great material over the decades (My Beautiful Laundrette, High Fidelity, The Queen).

This true story has Coogan as cynical former BBC journalist Martin Sixsmith, who after being sacked takes on a new assignment. He agrees to write a story about helping 70-year-old Philomena Lee find the son she was forced to give up for adoption after she was taken in by nuns at an abbey in Ireland.

Dench as Philomena is heartbreakingly perfect as the modest, uneducated woman who's never felt bitterness towards the Catholic Church despite their merciless treatment of her. As she and Martin travel to the US following some leads, the intellectual, atheist journalist starts to learn some valuable life lessons from the woman he'd previously dismissed.

The chemistry between the leads is charming and touching, and it's highly likely you'll be shedding a few tears at this moving story, despite a good dose of wit and humour.

In cinemas Boxing Day.