Birthmothers and Hollywood
I wrote this post this past Saturday after Hubby & I went to the movies. Saturday also was the last time I spoke to my father. I called him after the movie to tell him about something we saw that I knew he'd appreciate, and he did. Then he got tired and the call ended. He has been in ICU this week and is being moved to hospice tonight. He is not ready to go, which makes it all the much sadder.
****
Friday afternoon Hubby suggested we see a movie Saturday. He looked on-line to see what was playing and we groaned through a few choices. Then he said, "I think I found one! It's called August Rush." I turned around and hissed, "Absolutely not!" He just looked at me for a second before asking, "Um, what's it about?" I explained what little I know, which is more than I can handle this Christmas season.
What movie studio executive thought Christmastime was a good time to release this kind of movie about a birthmother/birthparents and her/their son? This is a real issue that affects a lot of people deeply. After I calmed down I did allow that I might be willing to see it at some point, but it would have to be after the holidays. Hubby had already apologized, saying he had only read the first paragraph and it sounded appealing. I don't know what he read, but the trailer with the musicians and Kerry Russell does look appealing until someone like me realizes Kerry is playing a birthmother. I shouldn't make assumptions without seeing the movie first, but I'm sure it will probably be some happy Hollywood story complete with a perfect ending. After all, the son is just 11 in the film. If only reunion could happen at that age.
So we picked a different movie. We arrived at the theatre and settled in just as the previews started. The first one was for a movie called Juno about a teenager who discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant and is considering adoption. The trailer treats it like just another life story. I started crying since I know firsthand how adoption is a decision that deeply affects a woman for the entire rest of her life.
Then I hear the word "comedy".
Comedy?!? What kind of comedy is it that a teenager becomes pregnant and is considering adoption?!?!? And the prospective adoptive parents in the trailer (Jennifer Garner is one) are all gooey and goofy. So I am equally appalled and angry about it. The fact that there are two movies out there right now with this topic and that it has to be now, Christmastime.
I don't know if either of these movies deals with any of the grieving a birthmother actually experiences. I suspect not. August Rush, based on the trailer, makes it look like Kerry is relieved just to know her son's alive. And the teenager has the option of just 'going on with her life' and 'finding someone who loves who for what she is' - something her father tells her in a scene from the trailer. ugh.
****
Friday afternoon Hubby suggested we see a movie Saturday. He looked on-line to see what was playing and we groaned through a few choices. Then he said, "I think I found one! It's called August Rush." I turned around and hissed, "Absolutely not!" He just looked at me for a second before asking, "Um, what's it about?" I explained what little I know, which is more than I can handle this Christmas season.
What movie studio executive thought Christmastime was a good time to release this kind of movie about a birthmother/birthparents and her/their son? This is a real issue that affects a lot of people deeply. After I calmed down I did allow that I might be willing to see it at some point, but it would have to be after the holidays. Hubby had already apologized, saying he had only read the first paragraph and it sounded appealing. I don't know what he read, but the trailer with the musicians and Kerry Russell does look appealing until someone like me realizes Kerry is playing a birthmother. I shouldn't make assumptions without seeing the movie first, but I'm sure it will probably be some happy Hollywood story complete with a perfect ending. After all, the son is just 11 in the film. If only reunion could happen at that age.
So we picked a different movie. We arrived at the theatre and settled in just as the previews started. The first one was for a movie called Juno about a teenager who discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant and is considering adoption. The trailer treats it like just another life story. I started crying since I know firsthand how adoption is a decision that deeply affects a woman for the entire rest of her life.
Then I hear the word "comedy".
Comedy?!? What kind of comedy is it that a teenager becomes pregnant and is considering adoption?!?!? And the prospective adoptive parents in the trailer (Jennifer Garner is one) are all gooey and goofy. So I am equally appalled and angry about it. The fact that there are two movies out there right now with this topic and that it has to be now, Christmastime.
I don't know if either of these movies deals with any of the grieving a birthmother actually experiences. I suspect not. August Rush, based on the trailer, makes it look like Kerry is relieved just to know her son's alive. And the teenager has the option of just 'going on with her life' and 'finding someone who loves who for what she is' - something her father tells her in a scene from the trailer. ugh.
posted by Jayne at 8:17 PM
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