By: Heather Cox; Staff Writer at Mom at Last
For over 135 years, people have flocked to movie theaters drive-ins, and TV screens to get the sensation of love, fear and joy that a movie can bring into your life at the moment you watch it. Throughout movie history, there have been a couple of movies that have highlighted the journey and triumph of the story of Adoption, including one of the most famous one’s being Annie. In recent years though, Adoption has become the focus in some well known movies that have hit the big screen, giving us a chance to look at these unique Adoption stories that are filled with love and honesty.
“The Blind Side” is one of the most recognizable Adoption stories in recent movie history. Based on a true story, Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Anne, in which she won the Oscar for Best Actress in this role, who takes in a homeless African American teenager named Michael Oher and gives him all that he needs to succeed in life, relationships and the world of football. “Big Mike” Oher used the love of Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy as a spring board and launched himself into a successful football career throughout his High School, College and Pro Years. The honesty and love in this movie really shows what the power of love and respect can do for an individual and a family, and how anyone can succeed if someone would just believe in them. Once you are finished watching the movie, you are immediately filled with a sense of joy for the success of the family and Michael, but when you continue to read about Michael Oher outside of the movie, you are sent over the moon. In 2013, Michael Oher and the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers in one of the most memorable Super Bowls to date, winning by just 3 points, at 34-31. This inspiring true Adoption Success Story would of course capture the hearts and minds of people of all ages, but the fictional movie “Butter” will fill your belly full of giggles and laughs.
“Butter” is a story of a young adopted girl named who constantly moved from location to location, foster family to foster family, always keeping her bag packed, knowing she would be on the move again to another place. Destiny finally finds herself in a small town in the state of Iowa, living with wonderful, yet quirky, foster parents. Destiny soon finds herself up against the wife of the local butter carving champion, Laura Pickler, both vying for the spot of that years Butter Carving Champion. Throughout the movie, there are lessons of graciousness, humility and losing, but there are also wonderfully funny moments and exchanges between Destiny and her Foster Father, played by Rob Corddry, that really caught my eye. The relationship between Destiny and Ethan, her Foster Father, is a brutally honest relationship where nothing is sugar coated but laced with a bit of comedy. In one exchange, Ethan talks to Destiny about what happens if she lost the Butter Contest and the exchange is cute, funny and very creative:
Ethan: “What the worst thing that could happen if you enter this contest?”
Destiny: “There could be a pyhon inside.”
Ethan: “What if this place if full of good looking British vampires”
Destiny: “Or racist ninjas?!”
As they laugh with one another through the movie, you can see the love grow between the Foster Family and Destiny. The wall that was put up by Destiny, after years of moving around from Foster Family to Foster Family, seemed to melt away like butter. I do not want to give away the ending but this is truly a wonderful Rags to Riches Adoption Story that is a must watch. Not all Adoption stories though are the focus of the movie, which brings us to this tongue in cheek Adoption story.
In this hilarious teen comedy called “Easy A”, a young girl named Olive is in the midst of her high school career and uses the rumor mill that is high school to help her social standings along with the social standings of other geeks and nerds that go to the school. In between the gossip and rumors, which all turn out to be untrue, is an underlying Adoption story that is brutally honest, yet funny at the same time. Chip is the adopted brother of Olive, the main character of the movie. In several scenes, mostly involving the breakfast or dinner table, Chip and his father, Dill, played by Stanley Tucci, have funny but warm interactions with one another involving the topic of Adoption. In one short scene, Dill asks Chip, his adopted son: “Where are you from originally?” The comment is so off guard yet funny, that you know they have such love for one another, that only a father and son could joke with one another like that. In another scene, the Adoption jokes keep coming:
Chip: “It doesn’t matter…I’m Adopted”
Dill: “OMIGOD!!!! Who told you?!?!?!
The hilarity of the comment brings Adoption center stage, pushing the reality and the sense of normalcy of Adoption in your face and not apologizing for it.
“The Blind Side”, “Butter” and “Easy A” are all very different movies, but all of them shine a positive light on the topic of Adoption. These movies, each in their own way, shows us that Adoption is just another word for True Love and that extraordinary things can happen when someone is given the chance to feel that love.
About the Author
Heather Cox has worked for Mom at Last for over 2 years as a staff writer, web & social media designer and manager, and personal assistant to Sharon Simons, the founder of Mom at Last. In her spare time, Heather writes her own blog, The Business Gypsy, to help others find their own path in life, love and employment.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
