I love John & Joan Cusack movies, and this one did not disappoint. Especially since it's centered around a single parent adoption.
It's based on a true story from David Gerrold (he also wrote the "Trouble with Tribbles" Star Trek episode). John C plays David, a widow who had planned to adopt with his wife. After her death, the social worker places him with Dennis, a very sweet, wee lad with some major issues (he spends his days in a box and is afraid of the sun and Earth's gravity - and he thinks he's from Mars). This kid is absolutely adorable - he's like a fragile flower and you just want to scoop him up and hug him (although he would probably scream if you did).
In the movie, they are left to their own devices for the most part. David ignores his sister's advice and doesn't have a lot to do with the social workers until it's good for the plot. This all might be a stretch because in the real world, Dennis would probably already be heavily medicated instead of left to work through his (justified) issues. His birth mother abandoned him, I believe. Gerrold's real son, Dennis was on Ritalin and suffered from FAS. None of that is mentioned in the movie, with very little talk of Dennis' previous abuse and neglect. That stuff is all in book though. I guess for the sake of the feel good movie they decided to keep the back plot out.
There is one ridiculous and horrific scene where Dennis is interviewed by therapists and social workers sitting around a huge boardroom table. I hope to God that an 8-yr old child wouldn't be put into that sort of intimidating situation in real life.
The film very much simplifies adoption (not once do they talk about dossiers, fees, or court dates - the nerve!), but then it's only a movie meant to entertain the audience. I didn't watch it looking for a thought-provoking documentary. I watched it for what it is: a sentimental, sweet, feel good film about relationships, trust, and love. And I watched it for John Cusack who is pretty darn cute. Despite over simplifying the adoption process, I felt this movie did a good job of showing some of the complexities and the evolution of an adoptive relationship. And Joan Cusack was funny as hell. I recommend it.
A couple of the many great quotes from the movie:
"I don't want to bring another kid into this world. But how do you argue against loving one that's already here?"
"Sometimes we forget that children have just arrived on the earth, they are a little like aliens coming into being as bundles of energy and pure potential, here on some kind of exploratory mission and they're just trying to learn what it means to be human."
