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IMDbPro

Losing Isaiah: Les Chemins de l'amour

Original title: Losing Isaiah
  • 1995
  • R
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
6.7K
YOUR RATING
Halle Berry and Jessica Lange in Losing Isaiah: Les Chemins de l'amour (1995)
The biological and adoptive mothers of a young boy are involved in a bitter, controversial custody battle.
Play trailer2:26
1 Video
18 Photos
Drama

The biological and adoptive mothers of a young boy are involved in a bitter, controversial custody battle.The biological and adoptive mothers of a young boy are involved in a bitter, controversial custody battle.The biological and adoptive mothers of a young boy are involved in a bitter, controversial custody battle.

  • Director
    • Stephen Gyllenhaal
  • Writers
    • Seth Margolis
    • Naomi Foner
  • Stars
    • Jessica Lange
    • Halle Berry
    • David Strathairn
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    6.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Stephen Gyllenhaal
    • Writers
      • Seth Margolis
      • Naomi Foner
    • Stars
      • Jessica Lange
      • Halle Berry
      • David Strathairn
    • 47User reviews
    • 16Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:26
    Official Trailer

    Photos18

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    Top cast69

    Edit
    Jessica Lange
    Jessica Lange
    • Margaret Lewin
    Halle Berry
    Halle Berry
    • Khaila Richards
    David Strathairn
    David Strathairn
    • Charles Lewin
    Cuba Gooding Jr.
    Cuba Gooding Jr.
    • Eddie Hughes
    Daisy Eagan
    Daisy Eagan
    • Hannah Lewin
    Marc John Jefferies
    Marc John Jefferies
    • Isaiah
    Samuel L. Jackson
    Samuel L. Jackson
    • Kadar Lewis
    Joie Lee
    Joie Lee
    • Marie
    Regina Taylor
    Regina Taylor
    • Gussie
    LaTanya Richardson Jackson
    LaTanya Richardson Jackson
    • Caroline Jones
    • (as LaTanya Richardson)
    Jacqueline Brookes
    Jacqueline Brookes
    • Judge Silbowitz
    Donovon Ian H. McKnight
    • Amir
    Rikkia A. Smith
    • Josie
    Paulette McDaniels
    • Ethel
    Velma Austin
    • Rehab Leader
    Glenda Starr Kelly
    • Group Leader
    Joan Kohn
    Joan Kohn
    • Toby Fredericks
    Patrick Clear
    Patrick Clear
    • Bill Fredericks
    • Director
      • Stephen Gyllenhaal
    • Writers
      • Seth Margolis
      • Naomi Foner
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews47

    6.46.7K
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    Featured reviews

    9jwillingter

    Losing Isaiah

    A comment was made that this movie has a bad ending. This is a TRUE story that happened in San Antonio, Texas. Although Hollywood and most movie goers want a neat and tidy ending, this does not portray REAL LIFE. Indeed, this movie portrays a real situation and does it well. Makes you think a lot about our child adoption system. What is best for the CHILD is what should be the focus, however obviously biology is the only significant thing that our courts consider. This shows the child wanting and being more comfortable with the adopted family.

    This was an excellent film. Halle Barry showed some real acting chops. Previous to this movie she was just in party movies, playing on her looks. She acted up against Jessica quite well.

    However, the courtroom scenes were quite biased to Halle's situation. Not sure how much of the courtroom scenes were based on the real transcripts.

    Jessica was excellent as always!
    koop-2

    An interesting dilemma

    "Just because you f***ed some junkie in a street corner doesn't make you his mother!" / dialogue from Losing Isaiah.

    The film starts with a drug addict (Halle Berry, who is surprisingly good.) goes around in one of Americas less glamorous blocks with a screaming baby. But the withdrawal symptoms becomes to strong and she lies the child in a container. When she wakes up the next day she can't find Isaiah. She is devastated. (Isaiah has been taken to the hospital when a couple of dust men found him.)

    Jessica Lange, Hollywood's best actress, plays the successful doctor that sees a little crack baby lying and screaming on the ward and thinks "Wouldn't it be nice to have one of those around the house?". She adopts the little fellow and raise him together with husband and daughter.

    The film jumps between Lange's family that take care of the kid and his biological mother, Berry who is building up a new drug free life. She eventually finds out that her child is alive and, of course, then wants him back. Lange doesn't want to let him go. Berry then hires a tough lawyer (Samuel L. Jackson) and trial it is.

    An interesting dilemma. And the film handles it good, very good. You really want to know who will get custody and which of the two mothers who gets the ending frame (and then 'wins' the film). The ending and the ending frame unfortunately is a cowardly compromise.
    fairydust1830

    A mother's story

    I've read the comments and the opinions from the various people on this board.I started used drugs after my son was born and I lost custody.My mother got custody.I worked hard to clean myself up and to be able provide a home for my son.Even after I was clean my mother wouldn't let me see my son,even though the court had ordered it and subsequently,my son didn't know me.I fought in court for over a year.I had to prove to a lot of people.I did win in court and my son came home that day.It was not easy and raising him has been a struggle at times.But just because a mother did drugs,it does not mean that her child is better of without her.It takes commitment.I went onto Nursing School and graduated and my son just graduated high school.We can turn our lives around and do what's in the best interest of our children.My son wants nothing to do drugs(his words),because he knows what it almost took us away from each other forever.I'm proud to say he's enrolled in the Army and we have a great mother/son relationship.Don't knock us because we made mistakes.Sometimes by making those mistakes,we become far better parents.I know I did.
    emisue02

    gives perspective

    Try watching this movie sometime with a white woman who is the adoptive mother of an African-American child. I happen to baby-sit such a family and watched the movie with the kids' mother. I don't know how she sat through it without throwing something at the screen-not that this is necessarily a criticism. This film is very thought-provoking, though I think for the wrong reasons. The main focus is all about color and whether people should raise children of different races. Jessica Lange's character had a small speech in the courtroom about how love makes a family more than race, but it was just glossed over and the focus of the film went right back to race defining families. Maybe I just see this differently because of my close association with a family where the parents and one child are white and the other child is not, but family is not about race-corny as this may sound, it really is about love and support. The ending, as some other reviewers have said, is very wishy-washy. My viewing companion and her husband, who joined us at the end, liked it because they want to have a good relationship with their daughter's birth mother. I agree with them on that, but if the movie is going to deal with legalities so much, it should resolve those legalities at the end of the movie.
    5corynang-578-789860

    Race

    When 2 different races make a child should it go to the one race he/she resembles or the one who is a better parent to the child? I do not like this movie. The color of the skin shouldn't matter. The best interest for the child no matter what color, is what is the best interest and stability for the child...

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Originally shot for television.
    • Goofs
      When Halle leans over to get the child out of the sandbox, her microphone pack can be seen at the small of her back under her shirt.
    • Quotes

      Gussie: [as Khaila suddenly bursts into tears] Khaila, what is it? What's wrong?

      Khaila Richards: I killed him.

      Gussie: What?

      Khaila Richards: My baby. I killed my baby. I threw him in the trash can.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Outbreak/Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh/Bye Bye Love/Losing Isaiah/Farinelli (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Gimme My Props
      by Mohanndas Dewese

      Performed by Kool Moe Dee

      Courtesy of Jive Records

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    FAQ18

    • How long is Losing Isaiah?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 17, 1995 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Losing Isaiah
    • Filming locations
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $17,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $7,603,766
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,520,972
      • Mar 19, 1995
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,603,766
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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