A sentimental story about a young boy learning to overcome his speech impediment is balanced by the more downbeat tale of a Depression-era Irish working man who finds fascism at the bottom of his fall into poverty. Directed by Stephen Frears (My Beautiful Launderette, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid), Liam manages to appeal to the sentimental crowd without descending into bathos. Well, without descending into bathos and staying there for the whole film.