Le silence de Mélodie

I happened to stumble upon the 2024 drama "Out of My Mind" by random chance here in 2024, and with it being a movie that I had never seen, nor actually heard about, of course I opted to watch it. I have to admit, though, that I was a bit reluctant as it was a Disney movie, so I figured it would probably be just be another run-of-the-mill Disney production for a young adult audience.

But color me impressed. While I haven't read the novel that the movie is based upon, I still will say that writers Daniel Stiepleman and Sharon M. Draper put together a phenomenal script and storyline here. Of course I don't know how true the movie is to the novel, as I haven't read it, but I was genuinely and wholeheartedly entertained throughout the course of the 102 minutes that "Out of My Mind" ran for. It is a movie that takes the audience along on a very emotional and beautiful narrative, and you really get immerse yourself into the movie, which made it all the more of an enjoyable viewing experience.

The storyline in the movie is one that has multiple levels to it, as it is not just a movie about the life of Melody, but also of the difficulties of living with a disability, being prejudiced against, of personal growth, and more. And that is what makes "Out of My Mind" such a unique movie, as it has something for just about everyone in the audience. If you are not moved by the contents of this movie's narrative, well, I just don't what to say. This is without a doubt a movie that sinks right in and stays with you for a long, long time, which is a testament to the abilities of the writers.

I sincerely hope that leading actress Phoebe-Rae Taylor gets some award acknowledgement for her performance in this movie, because she was simply amazing and phenomenal. She carried the movie with so much grace and talent that she took the character of Melody Brooks and brought her right into the heart of the audience. Thumbs way, way up for her performance in this movie. In fact, I will say that all the acting performances in the movie were good. And the movie also have some familiar faces on the cast list as well, such as Judith Light, Luke Kirby and Rosemarie DeWitt, and of course the voice of Jennifer Aniston.

"Out of My Mind", from director Amber Sealey, was quite an amazing movie, not to mention an incredibly beautiful one. This was without a doubt on the finest moments in Disney movie history. Amber Sealey delivered a movie that you should take the time to sit down and watch.

Hands down, for me personally, this was the best movie of 2024.

And you might want to have a napkin or two within arms reach. Just a heads up for those sensitive audience members out there.

My rating of "Out of My Mind" lands on a well-deserved ten out of ten stars.

I grew up loving the book and reading it over and over. The movie just seemed all over the place. Major points weren't added or were changed. The movie seemed rushed. Good movie, but the books are better. The acting was pretty decent overall. If they do a second movie, I hope they try to keep events in order. There were also some descriptions in the book that the movie completely ignores. If I were you, I would read the books first to get a general idea since the movie changes somethings that are pretty important to the storyline. I personally think they should have slowed down scenes to drag it out some more. Some scenes seemed quick.

I love Out of My Mind, based on the novel of the same name by Sharon Draper that is about family and friendship. I love the book and was so excited to learn that they were adapting the book into a movie. The film explores the concept that a person's intelligence and worth are not defined by how they communicate, and that everyone deserves to be heard and understood, regardless of their physical limitations.

Born with cerebral palsy, Melody (Phoebe-Rae Taylor) is nonverbal, and she is placed in a preschool level remedial academic program where her greatest source of stimulation comes from listening to Judy Blume audiobooks. When Dr. Katherine Post (Courtney Taylor) recognizes that Melody's cognitive abilities exceed what the class offers, she advocates for Melody to join Mr. Dimming's (Michael Chernus) class, which puts Melody on track for the life she has always dreamed of. Best of all, it puts her on a path to receive an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device so she can finally have the opportunity to make friends. But, like her journey thus far, nothing comes easy.

I really like how the film is told through Melody's first-person narrative, with Jennifer Anniston as Melody's voice, since Melody's favorite TV show is Friends. Jennifer Anniston delivers a lot of heart, love, and laughter in the role, which is paired perfectly with Phoebe-Rae Taylor's emotional performance as Melody. I was so invested in watching Melody's dreams come true, but also feeling for her parents Chuck and Diane (Luke Kirby, Rosemarie DeWitt). You can feel the struggle they have been fighting for their daughter's future and wanting what is best for her. I also love the next door neighbor, Mrs. V (Judith Light), who often helps Melody and her family. You can feel the love Mrs. V has for Melody through the screen. Mrs. V has some great moments and she always makes me smile. If you enjoy reading, I recommend reading the book Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. Also available is the sequel, Out of My Heart, where Melody goes to camp for the first time and Out of My Dreams where Melody travels on an airplane for the first time and visits London.

Out of My Mind highlights the importance of looking beyond outward appearances to see the vibrant inner world of people with disabilities, particularly those who are non-verbal like Melody, who struggles with cerebral palsy but possesses a brilliant mind.

I give Out of My Mind 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. By Kennedy P., KIDS FIRST!

Well how about that. I never thought Disney would ever make a movie based on a novel like this, and it actually turned out great. Out of My Mind is a very inspiring movie for people with disabilities. Where it values the disability representation and shows that even they can do anything. There may be times where it's a your typical teen film, but a lot of effort that's put for having an inspiring story, a good amount of character development, great acting, and a powerful moral that's beautifully put in the end. I think this is the movie that the people with disabilities need to watch. To be inspired of what the movie is trying to say. And I believe that even those that are not disabled will be touched with this movie too. I'm sure that the novel has inspired those groups before. But maybe it'll inspire some more of them that are more of movie people, and that's a great example of how it does. And if Melody Brooks can be successful even without a voice, then anyone else can.

As a father of a non-verbal, wheelchair-bound child with cerebral palsy who uses an AAC device with a joystick as his primary voice, "Out of My Mind" resonated with me deeply. The film captures the day-to-day realities of families like ours with incredible authenticity. Several scenes hit home, especially the one where the motivating teacher encourages the parents to allow their child to attend regular classes. As protective parents, we've been there, reluctant to embrace change for our child's sake. The moment in the film where the child gazes out the window, leaning toward the floor, mirrored our own child's behavior in such an emotional way.

Another touching moment was when the father tries to get other kids to include his child in their play, and the child walks away without showing sadness, simply moving on to another activity. This quiet resilience is something we witness with our own kid every day. The film also beautifully shows how the child processes thoughts, forming sentences through single words and pictures-just like my child does with his AAC device.

The scene where the father cries hearing his child speak for the first time through the AAC device was so familiar to me. I've lived that exact moment, and watching it unfold on screen brought all those emotions flooding back. It's a moment of pure joy and relief. There's also a small but significant moment that shows how families like ours adapt to the world-like when other kids' parents put down cardboard to protect their floors. It reminded us of how we, too, make sure to wipe our child's wheelchair wheels before entering a friend's house to avoid soiling their carpets.

The film also highlights how others sometimes misunderstand or make awkward comments, such as asking if the child is okay when they're laughing-something many of us with children with CP are all too familiar with.

But above all, the film beautifully depicts how, no matter the challenges we face, everything is brighter when our child smiles. The joy that my kid's smile brings to my heart is immeasurable. It reminds me that, despite the struggles, everything is okay. Out of My Mind captures the strength, resilience, and love of children with disabilities and their families in such a heartfelt, truthful way.

I wholeheartedly give it a 10/10-star rating.