From the director of ‘Mamma Mia!’ and ‘The Iron Lady’ Phyllida Lloyd, ‘Herself’ is a 2020 uplifting female-focused drama.

‘Herself’ follows the story of Sandra (Clare Dunne), a young mother struggling to make ends meet while hoping to provide her two daughters a warm, safe, and happy home.

Sandra decides to build her tiny family home from scratch, wanting to change their lives for the better. Along the way, she learns that she is not alone, as her empathetic friends and community agree to lend their hand and support.

Life, however, continues to throw challenges at her. She suddenly has to face her abusive former husband, who sues her for custody of their children.

Aside from being the lead actress, Irish actress Clare Dunne also co-wrote the screenplay with Malcolm Campbell. The rest of the cast are Conleth Hill from ‘Game of Thrones’, Cathy Belton from ‘Philomena’, and Harriet Walter from ‘Killing Eve’ and ‘The Crown’.

‘Herself’, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and London Film Festival, received a warm reception from the critics. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 93 per cent rating, while Metacritic scores it at 71. The film is mainly praised for its strong emotional and empathetic premise.

Peter Debruge from The Variety said the film portrays a positive image of women and their strength in the face of adversity of the patriarchy.

The body of this review has been restricted...