The High Court Justice Fiona Maye is in a crisis. But then, as a family law expert, she's used to that.
The Children Act begins by showing us her steely demeanor in the courtroom, ruling on a complex case involving the separation of conjoined twins -- the death of one for the life of the other -- that results in controversy. It would seem such cases have taken a drastic toll on her personally, for though she outwardly presents a flawless facade of professionalism and intelligence, she is also trapped in what appears to be a cycle of workaholism, resulting in a sexless marriage.
Emma Thompson stars as Fiona, and she delivers a typically stellar performance as someone maneuvering high-stakes work with no less weighty personal matters. The story really kicks into gear when we are introduced to the two main men in her life. One, her husband, played by a quiet Stanley Tucci, wants her permission to carry on an affair; Fiona counters with an ultimatum threatening him with eviction and divorce. The other is her newest case: Adam, a young man played by Fionn Whitehead, suffers leukemia and is dying. As a Jehovah's Witness, his belief system will not allow him to be subjected to blood transfusion, as it will pollute his soul; his parents actively support this, and so the doctors have taken them to court. Only a blood transfusion will save his life, and though Adam is underage, both he and his parents are united in their refusal.
Fiona meets Adam in an unorthodox hands-on approach to the case. The two experience a profound connection, and Fiona cannot bear to let Adam die under her watch. She allows the doctors to perform as they see fit, and Adam lives after a blood transfusion. He seeks her out, sending letters and leaving voicemails for her that she never answers; he begins following her, earnestly wanting nothing more than to be friends with the woman who saved him. He questions his religion and seeks a parental figure other than those who were willing to martyr him to their faith.
The film works best because of Thompson's performance and Ian McEwan's recreation of his own novel; we are entirely caught in Fiona's internal story as if the film were shot from her perspective (it is not, thank heaven, and so we can see the beautiful woman in all her glory). We see a powerful, professional woman who has made a career of subduing her emotions and keeping personal conflicts at bay. Her cool-headed exactitude cracks under the strain here, though, and the character's repressed feelings bleed out before she even knows what they are. It's a powerful character study mixed with a cerebral journey through hot topics, though it never really means anything beyond that.
IMDb: The Children Act
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