Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Tallulah Adoption Movie Review
Tallulah lives in a van with her boyfriend Nico. When he leaves
her to reconnect with his mother, Tallulah is troubled. She has no money and,
other than her van, no home. She is mistaken as hotel housekeeping by Carolyn,
who in a moment of questionable judgment conscripts Tallulah to watch her
infant daughter Maddy while she goes on a date. When Carolyn returns, drunk and
depressed, Tallulah decides to take Maddy with her for the night, believing
that it would be better for the infant to not be left in the care of her
drunken mother. When Carolyn comes to her senses, she reports that her baby has
been kidnapped. Tallulah seeks refuge with Nico’s mother Margo, and wins her
trust by telling her that the baby is Nico’s daughter. However, Carolyn and the
police are coming closer and closer to finding Tallulah, whose well-intentioned
but poorly thought-out act has become the subject of a police manhunt.
** SPOILERS AHEAD THE REST OF THE WAY **
The Adoption
Connection
There isn’t really an adoption storyline here, but some of
the plot reflects some aspects of adoption. Tallulah tries to take unofficial
protective custody of Maddy; she renames her, says that she is her own
daughter, and comes to love her. When Carolyn finds them, Tallulah only returns
Maddy to her when Carolyn expresses that she does actually want her daughter;
previously, Tallulah had perceived that Carolyn saw her daughter as a burden.
The adoption connection in the context of protective custody and then
reunification reminds me of foster care to some extent (and a police officer
actually asks Tallulah whether she intended to take the child into protective
custody). However, the similarity between this story and adoption ends there;
Tallulah never seems to believe that this arrangement will be permanent. More
importantly, she takes it upon herself to take custody of Maddy, rather than
involving the police or Child and Family Services, and in doing so, she
actually kidnaps the child.
Although it may be uncomfortable to acknowledge, sometimes, people say unkind or misinformed things about adoption, and might accuse all adoptions of being akin to what Tallulah does in this film. This offers the opportunity for foster parents to consider and prepare their response to these accusations in the event that they're ever posed to you or your children. What makes a situation in which a child is detained by Child Services different from kidnapping? There is a difference,
to be sure – and it may be helpful for you to have your answer already
considered in the event that a similar question is ever posed
by your child or posed to your child. ,
Strong Points
Tallulah is definitely thought-provoking.
Even though Tallulah has done some seriously bad things, she
still finds someone who accepts her.
A character wisely acknowledges that no one is born knowing
how to be a parent, and that’s why we have to ask for help. Tallulah honestly
replies that she’s never had anyone to ask before.
Weak Points
A scene involving nudity early in the film will make some
viewers uncomfortable.
A social worker tells Carolyn that Carolyn is
worthless.
Recommendations
Tallulah is available streaming on Netflix and is rated
TV-MA, mostly due to a sex scene in the first few minutes of the film. The film
is best left to an adult audience; some viewers might enjoy seeing Margo
eventually warm up to Tallulah. (SPOILER ALERT – even after Margo learns the
whole truth, she continues to care about Tallulah – END SPOILER). Although this
isn’t an adoption story, the resemblance between this film and some adoption journeys
– and the difference between this film and those journeys – raise an important theoretical
question for parents to consider. Think about this film for an adult movie
night.
Questions for
Discussion
What makes legally sanctioned detention of children morally,
ethically, and legally distinct from kidnapping?
How could Tallulah have better accomplished her goal of
ensuring that Maddy remains safe?
Who are your supports as you raise your children? Who taught
you how to parent?
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