Five of My Own: The Odd Life of Timothy Green...A Feel Good Movie for Adoptive Families

A couple of days ago I got an email from a marketing agency asking if we would like to attend a movie screening. I know that sounds kind of random but through this blog I get a lot of sometimes cool, sometime off the wall offers. This one was cool.

Because the movie was Disney’s The Odd Life of Timothy Green and after seeing the trailer just last weekend I was already planning to go.

I know the eyes freak me out...iphone camera-fail.

NONSEQUETOR ALERT: Of course my kids are happy about going to any movie if for nothing more than the snackage but they (mostly Nolan) were super impressed that the best seats in the house were reserved for us. The girl who sat us said, “Disney called and asked us to reserve your seats”and boy did that get their attention. The girls now think I have direct access to the Disney Princesses and Nolan is dreaming about lifetime Fast Passes at the Disney theme parks. Last night I was the coolest mom alive. PS IF ANYONE AT DISNEY SEES THIS... PLEASE...HELP A MOM OUT!

But about the movie.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is an adoption movie….sure it’s about a magical boy who grows in the garden…but still an adoption movie. Which (BIG SURPRISE) is right up my alley.

Now I’m no movie reviewer but…

I LOVED THIS MOVIE.

And, I predict it will resonate with the adoption community in much the same feel-good-way The Blind Side did.

I don’t want to give too much away but let me just say, I almost choked on my popcorn when one of the characters said to the movie’s adoptive mom, “I thought you wanted your own kids". I think the writers hit every one of the "stupid things people say about adoption" and I immediately understood why we were invited to the screening.

Now just for the record the movie is not set up as some sort of adoption documentary. As I said before the boy magially grows in the garden so the very complicated triad relationships and adoption trauma and issues with bonding and attachment are likewise magically avoided. And there are some other things in the story (like the whole portrayal of the adoption process) that we real life adoptive families will have to overlook as we watch.

But if you can suspend reality (which is what going to the movies is all about) then I think adoptive families will find the heartfelt emotion of the film to be spot on.

Again I won’t spoil it but at the end of the movie there is a scene that hit so close to home I actually said OUT LOUD, “come on are you trying to kill me” and then I proceeded to sob (according to Nolan in a most unflattering way).

No shame...it was one of those “good cries” which I happen to enjoy.

And if you do too, here is my recommendation...

GO SEE THIS MOVIE.

BRING TISSUES.

(AND, chocolate covered pretzels… because really nothing goes better with a sloppy, joyful tear fest than the salty sweetness of chocolate covered pretzels.)

And for those wondering if they should bring their kids my answer is, IT DEPENDS.

Under-fives I don’t think will be terribly interested in the movie. The story is certainly charming and sweet enough for any age but it’s a lot of dialogue and enough complexity that it might be too old for them.

That said my girls at 5/almost 6 enjoyed it and stayed engaged throughout and my 12 son thought it was excellent and said he would see it again with his friends.

I think I might just go see it again too.