Lucybespro
It is a performances centric movie
SparkMore
n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.
Taha Avalos
The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
mrsrobinson02
I am a foster mother of special needs children and, trust me, it is no walk in the park. This documentary was suggested to me because of some issues we are having with a foster child right now. It changed the way that I looked at my situation. This mother is the most giving, comforting mom I have seen.I suggest this movie to anyone, especially if you are fostering. It covers so many topics that we deal with every day such as dealing with social workers, medical issues, attitudes towards children and giving children a normal life style regardless of set-backs for them.And, to anyone who mentions that she exploits these children, you are crazy. She gave every child the choice to have their story told and the stories you see are the only ones that accepted that. Also, the director reached out to her about this project - not the opposite. Anyone in foster care knows that you do this for the kids, not for the money.Thank you to everyone who participated in this project. It will never be forgotten.
cpjt
Anthony lost his battle to cancer. He died last week. The family is very sad, but Anthony was so very, very sick. He is in a better place now and not in so much pain.The film really does show Anthony's true self. He was a sweet, loving kid who never complained. He had a wicked sense of humor and was stoic about his disease. There will be a memorial service in Fairfield sometime in January. Susan and the rest of the kids are doing as well as can be expected. Everyone is just so very sad.As far as the film, I would recommend it to almost anyone, though I think it would be too upsetting for some children. And Susan has lost so much weight since the film was made. Too bad people can't see how great she looks now, and how much more energy she has.
Steve Basile (baze)
If not for bumping into the filmmaker at another SXSW Film Festival screening, I would have dismissed this as potentially a tear-jerker freak show. The synopsis did not grab me. Mr. Karsh did--he is as passionate as his subject matter.Don't make the mistake I almost made--see this and prepare to meet some of the most indelibly etched characters life has ever created on screen. HBO/Cinemax has apparently agreed to pick this up for showing in late 2003/early 2004 so you should have a chance to see it there, but I really hope it finds release on DVD.Karsh creates and incredibly moving portrait of a family like no other, built on the solid foundation of one amazing mother. With an engaging, suspenseful dramatic arc that could not possibly have been scripted, the film shows laughter, fear, anger, rage, love, frustration and difficult resolution. As in any family, there are no easy answers to life's daily challenges. With unique access and a "cast" of dreams, it is an absolutely unforgettable slice of life that should make each of us aware of how much we have for which to be thankful. Part documentary, part cinema verite, it is 100% engaging till the last frame. See it and prepare to meet the Toms.
Suzie True
It helps to have such great screen presences. The mother, Susan is a great center for the story and for the audience's benefit. Perhaps with the existing footage shot over the year-and-a-half, there could be a series made out of this. I would like to see more of some of the children who were not featured very much due to reasonable constraints.Woven in inspiring, dramatic, comedic and tragic scenes, this is a powerful piece of film. And you can't help coming out of it full of hope, sadness, and understanding. This movie is a celebration of life at its physical roughest and as deep a love as imaginable.
