Daniel Day-Lewis' performance in My Left Foot could have gone one of two ways. If he was a lesser actor, it would have come off as offensive and unbelievable. It just so happens that he's one of the greatest actors to ever set foot in front of a camera. His portrayal of Christy Brown is unrivaled in its physical immersion into the role. It is the true story of an Irishman with cerebral palsy who learnt to use his only controllable limb - his left foot - to great effect. He managed to become a painter and writer, and some would say a cantankerous philosopher; "F**k Plato!" he rages in one scene. He is a brilliant mind trapped in a body that does not work as he wants it to, but does it stop him? No, it doesn't. He defies his physical shell and uses what he does have to make his way in life. Despite his condition, he is a hopeless romantic, charming a few girls with his skills, but this is as equally heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. His mother (a wonderful Brenda Fricker) tirelessly looks after Christy and the whole family, struggling to pay the bills and keep their home. The acting between the two leads is poignant and emotional, plunging the depths of human relationships, disregarding his disease for those scenes. He may not have had the rest of his body, but Christy Brown still managed to become a successful writer and talented painter in the face of adversity. He is critical of the world and resentful of the hand he was dealt at birth, but he does not let it weigh him down - he trudges on as a shining example of what it means to achieve the impossible. What do you think? Are there films we've missed out on the list? Do you have any opinion on the representation of disability in these films? Let us know in the comments below.
