Prior to 1989, not many knew of Daniel Day-Lewis – sure, he'd starred in a handful of British arthouse flicks in the Eighties (such as My Beautiful Laundrette, A Room with a View and The Unbearable Lightness of Being) but he wasn't very visible in the cinematic consciousness. Jim Sheridan's directorial debut, My Left Foot changed all that.

The deeply moving true story of cerebral palsy-afflicted and celebrated Irish polymath Christy Brown, My Left Foot is an alternately tough and tender film (adapted from Brown's autobiography by Shane Connaughton and Sheridan) that deals honestly with disabilities, hinging upon Day-Lewis' utterly compelling and award-winning performance.

Unfolding contrary to the usual "life-affirming triumph" biographies that Hollywood churns out, My Left Foot centers on the story of Irish cerebral palsy victim Christy Brown (played by Hugh O'Conor as a child, Day-Lewis as an adult). Paralyzed from birth, he's written off as helpless and intellectually stunted - his strong-willed mother (Brenda Fricker, who collected an Oscar for her work) begs to disagree. By encouraging Christy to use his left foot (the lone part of his body not paralyzed), he soon learns how to write and becomes a famous author, artist and fundraiser. As he comes into his own, he also falls in love with his nurse, Mary (Ruth McCabe).

Nominated for five Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress) and winner of two, Sheridan's unblinking veracity lends an air of raw realism to what otherwise be an insufferably tear-jerking story. As it stands, this film earns the right to pluck heartstrings, doing so in as unsentimental a way as possible.

The Video:

My Left Foot is presented here with a remastered 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen image that suffers greatly from flecks and dirt in the opening 10 minutes - it smoothes out considerably as the film progresses but it's a little disappointing that the film wasn't cleaned up as much as it could've been.

Offered with Dolby Digital 5.1, My Left Foot isn't a film built on explosive action scenes and as such, this mix is full and smooth but not overly impressive. The score and dialogue are heard clearly and without distortion. English subtitles are available and may come in handy for some of Christy's more dialogue-heavy scenes.

Tragically, there isn't much in the way of supplemental material included – I had hoped for (at the very least) a Sheridan or Day-Lewis commentary track or perhaps a Christy Brown documentary, since the film's pushing 20 years old. "The Real Christy Brown," which runs four minutes, 40 seconds, is a step towards the documentary while the 10 minute, 12 second "An Inspirational Journey: The Making of 'My Left Foot'" is a retrospective featuring some of the cast and crew, but noticeably absent are Sheridan and Day-Lewis. A still gallery, a collection of four text reviews and trailers for Prozac Nation, Dear Frankie and Bride & Prejudice round out the bonus material.

It's hard to put much stock in the "Collector's Series" label when such a powerhouse and award-winning film as this doesn't feature so much as a soundbite from either of the two key players, who have since gone on to much-acclaimed careers - very disappointing, Miramax.

A worthy and uplifting film that merits re-watching again and again, My Left Foot is a minor masterpiece of writing, acting and directing that has aged slightly but is nevertheless a modern classic. Sadly, this re-release doesn't give much cause for celebration as what's included in the way of bonus material is a little thin. Nevertheless, fans of the film may want to upgrade for the slightly better picture and those unfamiliar with this Irish drama may want to give it a cursory rental spin. Recommended.