In the Name of the Father
An Irish man's coerced confession to an I.R.A. bombing he did not commit results in the imprisonment of his father as well. Meanwhile, a British lawyer fights to clear their names and free them.
Directed by Jim Sheridan · Biography · Crime · Drama · 133 min · 1994
Trailer
Director
Jim Sheridan
Studio
Hell's Kitchen Films
Release
25 Feb 1994
Runtime
133 min
Genres
Biography, Crime, Drama
Full Plot
Young Belfastian Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) admits that he was in London at the time of the incident. He also admits that he is not a model citizen, having committed a petty robbery while in London. He does however profess his innocence when it comes to the bombing of the Guildford Pub in London in 1974, the event which killed several people inside. A self-professed non-political person, he and his three co-accused, dubbed the Guildford Four, are thought to be provisional members of the I.R.A. Their self-professed innocence is despite each having signed a statement of guilt which they claim were signed under duress. Their case includes having provable alibis for the time frame of the bombing. And eventually, Joe McAndrew (Don Baker), a known I.R.A. member, admits to the bombing. Dubbed the Maguire Seven, seven others, primarily members of Gerry's extended family including his father Giuseppe (Pete Postlethwaite), are accused of being accessories to the bombing. Following on the work initiated by Giuseppe, Gerry works on a campaign to prove their collective innocence, this work with the assistance of compassionate lawyer Gareth Peirce (Dame Emma Thompson). As Gareth works on this campaign, she is faced with obstacle after obstacle placed by Robert Dixon (Corin Redgrave), who led the initial investigation and questioning of the four accused on behalf of the Police.
Cast & Characters
Gerard Patrick "Gerry" Conlon
Daniel Day-Lewis
Patrick "Giuseppe" Conlon
Pete Postlethwaite
Danny
Anthony Brophy
Gareth Peirce
Emma Thompson
Paul Hill
John Lynch
Inspector Robert Dixon
Corin Redgrave
Carole Richardson
Beatie Edney
Chief PO Barker
John Benfield
Benbay
Paterson Joseph
Sarah Conlon
Marie Jones
Detective Pavis
Gerard McSorley
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $13.0M, In the Name of the Father has grossed $65.8M worldwide — about 5.1x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
In the Name of the Father
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Daniel Day-Lewis lost over his weight to prepare for the role of Gerry Conlon?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Daniel Day-Lewis spent three days and nights in a jail cell to gain insight into Conlon's thoughts and feelings?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Daniel Day-Lewis was subjected to harsh conditions, including being woken up by thugs banging on the door every ten minutes?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
In the Name of the Father holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (200,972 votes), 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (200,972 votes), 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is In the Name of the Father's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
In the Name of the Father holds a 94% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is In the Name of the Father's IMDb rating?+
In the Name of the Father has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 200,972 votes.
What is In the Name of the Father's Metacritic score?+
In the Name of the Father has a Metascore of 84/100 on Metacritic.
Is In the Name of the Father good? What are critics saying?+
In the Name of the Father holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (200,972 votes), 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84/100 on Metacritic.
How long is In the Name of the Father?+
In the Name of the Father has a runtime of 133 min.
Who directed In the Name of the Father?+
In the Name of the Father was directed by Jim Sheridan.
Where can I watch In the Name of the Father?+
In the Name of the Father is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "In the Name of the Father" has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing shock and outrage at the film's portrayal of the Troubles. Some commenters have praised the film as a well-executed and thought-provoking drama that sheds light on the atrocities committed during this period in Irish history.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
**In the name of INNOCENCE !!** Sometimes i say to myself **this can't happen to me** for the simple reason that it sounds really unfair to be happening..But watching a movie like this changes all perception of right and wrong, fair and unfair.. Only thing that can be fair in thi…
Shreyance Parakh · 10/10**A low-key, much-forgotten but well-executed film.** This movie is totally forgotten these days. Well, actually, if you're not native or very close to Ireland, I think the very existence and action of the IRA seems like something that ended many years ago, and it doesn't. It was…
Filipe Manuel Neto · 6/10**Oscar for Best Duo Daniel Day-Lewis and Pete Postlethwaite**strong text**** The movie tries to convey the horrors of injustice, investigation, and rulings under the pretext of emergency laws and terrorism, but the details of these laws make us laugh by today's standards, even n…
Andre Wilfred Sanders · 9/10Tensions in Britain are running high after indiscriminate bombings in IRA defined “army pubs” in Guildford have left five people dead and scores injured. Unluckily, petty thief Gerry Conlan (Daniel Day Lewis) had been in nearby London at the time and so a combination of him splas…
CinemaSerf · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
Now 64. Born in Belfast. Now in Australia. Watched this film 30 years ago. Need to pluck up the courage to watch it again
@ziggyfreud5357 · 97 likes"get your hands off me, I'm. going out the front door with Gerry"
@ShaneC27 · 109 likesAt 52 and an Irish American, I literally cry every single time I watch this.
@leesweather9894 · 61 likesThis is the most scariest situation anyone can be in, to live in prison and be in the judicial system.
@romanianisraeli · 27 likesProbably one of the best movies I've ever seen
@highvoltageshock7933 · 170 likesTerrible US trailer for an incredible movie.
@lafillenoir · 239 likesLittle makes me cry while watching movies but Pete Postlewaithe as Giuseppe, is a rare exception
@TheJaviferrol · 64 likesAstonishing film, makes me realise just some of the reasons the Irish and Scottish have for hating the English
@ElSoloNoco · 281 likes
