In the Best Interest of the Children

This movie makes me cry everytime. I truly wish the children's court would look beyond "for the best interest of the children" and look from a child's point of view. I know people who were in child protective custodies as children and who have not fully recovered from being shipped from home to home. Some who ended up with messed up lives, and some who came clean. This movie I think was very good. It reminds me alot of the book "Homecomming" which about four children trying to run away from the system and end up living in their grandmother's home, but this movie has a sad ending. If I were the kids, I'd keep on running to that loving home that every child dreams about.

I saw this movie a while back..I enjoyed it....Its about a single young mother with many children....a mother who has been going through a lot of boyfriends.....most of the kids are from different dads.....and the only thing that helps the mother take care of all her children is a welfare check.......the boyfriends that she brings home...don't always treat the kids that well....when the mother is to weak to fight...its up to the eldest child to fight for her siblings......as the mother gets too weak and crazy to care.....her kids get taken away to live with foster parents.......the kids struggle to stay together......and pray that they will never get separated.......

This movie is one of the best if not the best for accurately portraying the roles of Human Resource Departments all over. I am a social worker and this movie hit home in several areas. The actors and actresses all did a wonderful job. Sarah Jessica Parker's portrayal of a conflicted mother with mental problems was believable and wonderful. The girl who played Jessica did an outstanding job as the oldest child who was the "adult" to her younger siblings. This movie was just outstanding all the way around. The supporting actors and actresses strengthened the title roles. Sally Struthers was brilliant as a foster mom who wanted children. Her portrayal was true to life in that in my job I have experienced similar tactics by foster parents wanting to adopt the children placed with them, even though reunification is trying to be worked for with the biological parent. It happens all the time. BRAVO! We need more realistic portrayals like this movie.

I was an extra in this movie. I was nine or ten at the time. Making this movie was a wonderful experience. I'm in the carnival shot, standing in front of the Sally and the rest of the cast (accident). I was supposed to be a home-made super mouse. But I lost my ears half way through production. We (the extras) were supposed to dress like it was fall in the mid of summer.

The my scene should have been cut, it dragged on to long and didn't have a point, but hey I, the earless mouse will forever play on cable. So cool!

The movie itself is sad, so I usually fast forward to the carnival!

In summary watch the movie..a lot of extras sweated all day for that 2 second carnival scene, and enjoyed every minute!