Criança Perdida

I enjoyed this film overall the story appealed to me personally since I'm adopted out as well but I had a lot of problems with the production and casting. Mercedes Ruehl is a fine actress but no way does she look Navaho. All the Navaho's I know are big round people at best Mercedes could past as some northern tribe Sioux or Chickasaw but never Navaho and certainly not from full-bloods, (is there not enough native actresses out there for this role) I thought the actress who played her eldest daughter was very good. She definitely had one of the funnies lines of the movie something like 'yes but the white half has to get more sleep' sorry you have to see it to understand, I though she acted very well and delivered the line well too but again she was about as much skin (meaning native) as she was black. So the movie suffered for me because I couldn't believe that they were any part Dine'.

"The Lost Child" is the story of Rebecca, a woman who is looking for her birth family. She posts inquiries (sp) over the Internet, and finally gets a response from a Navajo woman named Grace, who turns out to be her sister.

Rebecca goes out to visit the family, and meets her father, Yazzi Monroe, as well as Grace and her other sisters, and her extended family. From there, she gets pulled into the culture. Her husband and two daughters, however, are not fond of rez life, but they go anyway.

I videotaped this movie the night it aired on television, and watched it several times. Keep your eyes open for the beautiful Irene Bedard ("Smoke Signals") as Grace, and Mercedes Ruehl ("Frasier") as Rebecca. The scenery is beautiful, as well.

But, one thing is the problem, and that is on this message board. I don't know what all the fuss is about this being unrealistic?

I can understand the question of why Rebecca doesn't continue to search for her long-lost twin, but you have to understand that she was excited about meeting her birth father, and birth sisters. For what we know, she may have looked into the matter afterwards.

And as for no one wanting to move to the reservation, I can say that I would in a second. Whenever I go to the rez to visit family, I get a strange, yet good, feeling, something I would never feel in my native Pennsylvania. Heck, in a years time, I'll be living the good life on the rez, without any regrets.

I was not only touched by Rebecca's situation in "The Lost Child" because it was well-presented (the story), I was touched because I never knew my father until 6 years after he died, and have known none of that side of my family. However, in 1966, I lived in Nazlini, AZ on the Navajo Reservation as a VISTA Volunteer, and my "adopted" family there has remained close all these years. I feel more at home there, even after all these years, than anywhere else.

Someone commented that it was sloppily made. OK, it wasn't where it should be, it didn't have the "right actors"...but the STORY IS TRUE and the actors were so moving that I wept many times in this movie and I can't put it down in any way. Thank you for presenting it.

Excellent film. Mercedes Ruehl gave an excellent performance as Rebecca. One of the outstanding features of this film is the demonstration that people can succeed in spite of childhood rejection. Scenery was gorgeous. I have viewed this film several times and each time I am inspired by its content, quality, and Rebecca's persistence in finding her natural family. I plan to read the book.

The Lost Child is based on the real life story of Yvette Melanson which is documented in her book titled "Looking For Lost Bird." This film has deep meaning, dealing realistically with a variety of life situations. Mercedes Ruehl did a superb performance as Rebecca and is exceptionally talented. Julie McIlvaine (Carolyn), Tantoo Cardinal (Aunt Mary), Jamie Sheridan (Jack), Irene Bedard (Grace) and others also contributed greatly to the quality of this film." Rebecca's resilience certainly was a major factor in her rising above the difficulties of her early life. One great quote "life is what you make it; you have to ride it and not let it not ride you."

The film dealt with an array of emotions and feelings: grief, rejection, disappointment, fear, sadness, exuberant joy, vibrance, fiesty determination and great excitement over things that an average person takes for granted. The Matthews were a very loving and caring family but the film also portrayed the family's realistic struggles and stresses in not only coping with a move to another part of the country but in adjusting to an entirely different culture as well. Yvette describes those adjustments to the Navajo lifestyle and their lives with her people in detail in her book.