Segredos de Família

It's 1964 in Lexington, Kentucky. Dr. David Henry (Dermot Mulroney) drive his pregnant wife Norah (Gretchen Mol) to the hospital. He and nurse Caroline Gil (Emily Watson) deliver healthy son Paul. They are surprised by twin Phoebe who turns out to have Down Syndrome. He lies to Norah that she died and gives the baby to nurse Gil. He instructs Gil to put her in an institution expecting her to die but Gil decides to raise the baby herself due to witnessing the draconian conditions.

It's a Lifetime TV movie. It tackles an interesting subject and a girl with Down Syndrome gets to act. These are solid actors but the story doesn't have enough tension. I don't find the Henrys that compelling. Their part of the story feels meandering. I like Gil's side better but that isn't the most dramatic either. I would rather have a bigger time skip like 12 years later. The story could easily pick up when the two sides reconnect. It's more compelling that way because the danger of discovery is heightened.

Yes I loved it. I picked it up (the film) just because Emily Watson was in it. I haven't seen many of her pictures, maybe 4 or 5, but then, they were all very good films, and I consider her such a fine actress that to see her name prompted my decision to rent this film. I suppose that after 30 films or so where she has been appearing, the fact that she is no beauty queen, made her come to her senses and realize that the best action for her in the movies was to be a natural, plain, excellent actress (my speculation, probably not hers). She bet on that and she won. I'm sure she worked more than many pretty faces known today forgotten tomorrow. This film is excellent. Everything in it works --I just found out that it was a made for TV production, a thing I never noticed while watching it (another point for never reading reviews before watching a movie). From the acting to the technical, no complains. The plot touches on a very delicate subject and it treats it superbly well. The unfolding of the original problem grows more and more out of any possible previous consideration, as much as a snowball rolls down the hill gathering more snow and becoming so huge that eventually will crush against the first firm obstacle in its way, as it was the case in this poignant story. The last scene is an overwhelming tear jerker, but then, a high class one, perfectly suited as a conclusion to the whole movie. Do not miss it!!

Does anyone know the name of the song that Paul is playing on the guitar when the family is vacationing at the beach???

I really enjoyed the book, but I wasn't entirely thrilled with the way the movie turned out. The book kept me turning the pages... I really thought that the movie didn't portray the struggle that Caroline went through with Phoebe growing up and her passion for her as a mother.

It really only touched on many of the aspects of the book and in my opinion the movie was sort of a quick synopsis of the book. The acting was OK... not Oscar-worthy or anything, just OK.

It was, however, entertaining, but I'm glad I read the book first!

I'm not sure how the 1 out of ten made the top comments, considering the movie is rated 6.4 at this time, but c'mon IMDb? It was a touching story. Not great, but certainly not a 1. It's kind of embarrassing that this rating somehow made their top review. A one? Someone has to filter out these kinds of ratings. There's really no basis for such a bad rating, and the average score undoubtedly backs that statement up. I don't mean to rant about it, but I can't help but feel that someone has to be held accountable for misleading the potential viewer, and I have to make this rant at least ten lines, so I'm trying to do what I can to make that happen. I think I just did it. Thanks.

Dermot Mulroney and Emily Watson are appealing in this sad film.

It deals with a spur of the moment decision that has a lasting impact on the lives of several people throughout a 22 year period.

When his wife gives birth to twins, the boy is normal but the girl has Down's Syndrome. In a moment of misery, Mulroney tells his wife that the girl died in childbirth. He gives the baby to Nurse Watson with the instructions for her to bring the child to a home. When Watson sees the conditions in the home, she flees with the baby. Meeting a stranger in a snowstorm, she runs off to Pittsburgh with the baby and weds.

The film shows that the "Down Child" had a perfectly normal life whereas the boy along with Mulroney and his unfaithful wife, encounter nothing but misery along the way.

We should realize that it would take a death for everything to come out and this is exactly what occurs.

Watson is just wonderful as the compassionate, understanding nurse who gave so much of herself to the child.

This was a wonderful film and should not be missed.