The familiar saying “You can’t judge a book by its cover” certainly applies to writer-director Stephen Bradley’s heartfelt and surprising film Noble. Told with flashbacks and based on the true life of Irishwoman Christina Noble, the story begins halfway through her life and transitions back to hard times in Ireland when she’s a young girl (Gloria Cramer Curtis). Her mother tries to make a good home for the kids, but Christina’s father (played excellently by Liam Cunningham) is an angry drunk who causes havoc when he comes home from the pub.

Finding joy in her talent to sing like Doris Day, Christina entertains around Dublin until her father kills her mother, and the kids are sent to an orphanage. Christina is told her siblings died. A little older, Christina (now played by Sarah Greene) is raped and her baby put up for adoption without her knowing. She escapes the orphanage and eventually gets married. She has three more children -- but is abused by her husband.

While growing up, Christina had a recurring dream about children and Vietnam, which was much of a mystery to her. When her grown children are on their own, Christina (Deirdre O’Kane) travels to Ho Chi Minh City in 1989 to find out why she has had these dreams for so long.

Her need suddenly becomes clear when she tours the city and sees hundreds of orphaned and abandoned children. Like a beat to a heart, Christina steps into action and sneaks a few of the orphans into her hotel room for food and a bath.

Appalled that their own residents can’t or won’t take care of the children, Christina creates the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, befriends local businessmen and companies, and requests donations from them. Gerry Shaw (Brendan Coyle, Mr. Bates on Downton Abbey), who admires her aspirations, offers advice and helps fundraise.

Christina meets and recruits Madame Linh (Nhu Quynh Nguyen) to be director of the orphanage. She also keeps busy searching for other orphans while avoiding the local police and immigration authorities who want her gone.

The cast members in general do a good job. Bradley was wise to offer his wife, Dierdre O’Kane, the lead role. She’s wonderful here, showing just the right empathy to make the story and its cause resonate with viewers.

Trevor Forrest’s superb cinematography brings both of Christina’s worlds to life on screen and elevates the inspiration of her story.

(Released by aspiration Media and rated "PG-13" for mature thematic material, including some violent and sexual situations.)

Review also posted at www.reviewexpess.com.