L'enfant de la colère

I really enjoyed this movie a lot. Mel Harris was brilliant and Dwight Schulz well known for his role on Star Trek The Next Generation as insecure Barclay and even more well known for his role with Mr T and co really shows another side to his abilities in this film. He is an amazing actor who shines in any role and is particularly good in these kind of drama movies i have found. In all an Excellent TV movie and just the thing if you enjoy a good drama. Not an Hollywood blockbuster by any stretch of the imagination but its not supposed to be. If your thinking of buying this movie I would definitely suggest watching it first via a rental store or catching it when its on television. Highley recommended for all those lovers of TV drama movies with a real life feel. I would definitely watch it again if it came on TV.

Our children are like our most precious natural resource. We live in a society that is so hardened and callous in so many ways, but crimes against children is still something that hits us right in the gut and sickens our soul as a people and as a nation. Child Of Rage may be one of the hardest films to watch, but you need to watch it. It is hard-hitting and realistic and based on a true story. People have often spoken about how Hollywood is so cynical about religion of any kind. They usually portray "church people" as corrupt crazy or both. I like that fact that in this tv film, a minister and his wife who adopt these two children are portrayed as the most wonderful people. They are good and kind and loving and nothing is presented that would suggest otherwise. Mel Harris is a fine actress who never has gotten just credit. She is wonderful as this loving woman who tries to reach this tortured little girl who has been thru hell. People who only know Dwight Shultz for his role as that crazy pilot on that stupid and ridiculous tv show "The A-Team" would really be shocked if they could see his wonderful and sensitive performance as a true man of God in this film. The best scene for him is in the end when he gives a sermon about children in pain and talks of his own ordeal. It is a truly moving speech indeed. It would take someone utterly without a heart not to be moved by it. There are so many other real-life Catherines in this world who are abused and tortured and hurt and this film makes you realize that. I had never heard of the little actress who plays Catherine in this film, but she is incredible. you feel so bad for her, but it is also chilling how cruel she is when she attacks her little brother and tries to stab her parents, when she stabs the family dog, throws fits, attacks a classmate and fondles her poor grandfather. You just want to look away watching this but cannot. Mariette Hartley is a wonderful actress and gives a great performance as an understanding psychiatrist. The scenes in this film that are hardest to watch are when they use the "holding" technique with the little girl. Where they hold her and make her explode in rage. It is sort of like watching The Exorcist the way she acts. This is a first-rate tv film with fine performances all around. It may not be a pleasant story to watch, but it is one that needs to be told. I felt so bad for little Catherine and I wondered how she turned out in the end if she was ever able to live a normal life. The little actress who played her made her seem so real to me that it haunted me long after the final credits. I guess that is the greatest compliment you could pay an actor. They need to make this film available on video or DVD.

The hammy acting, the artistic license taken with the story, the goody-two shoes couple who are so full of Christian love, they won't give up on their demonic brat, Cat. The almost-murders (accompanied by "tension" music), the cheesy strip club (with one of the background strippers decked out in a grandma bikini) and the ummm...oh yes, the kids who scream a lot. This film is tedious.

Ashley Peldon is frighteningly real as "Cat" a child who grew up abused and molested, who is then adopted by Mel Harris and Dwight Schultz. Despite their love and attention, the child gets worse (the scene where she abuses the family dog is rather chilling).

Harris learns that the child had a less than ideal upbringing; again this brings up the nature/nurture debate. Harris finally encounters a therapist (Mariette Hartley) who theorizes that the rage must be tapped into, to find the source of the child's pain.

What is interesting and valuable about this Lifetime movie is that it addresses a particular pathology, how the parents attempt to deal with it, and how the health care and/or social work system cannot or will not.

Mariette Hartley, whose father committed suicide (in real life) is very credible as the therapist, discussing rage and denial issues. With problems such as this, it seems society has only begun to skim the surface. 8/10.

Interesting: based on a true story....it was like "The Bad Seed" but with logical explanation given for the Child's behavior. Kind of left you hanging at the end". I give it two stars.