The Baby Dance

Stockard Channing stars in yet another tele-movie. Her performance is very good as usual and she deservedly picked up a Golden Globe nomination. Laura Dern gives a fine performance as a pregnant woman who wants to give her baby up for adoption. The movie shows the struggles of these two women and there is a twist at the end which did not surprise me.

Baby Dance is riveting. It is an emotional roller coaster to watch. Outstanding performances by Laura Dern, Stockard Channing, Peter Riegert, and Richard Luckman head up a fine cast.It examines the difficult decisions faced when a mother is to give up her child to strangers. In this case, a rich couple from California cannot have children, so they place an ad for adoption. It is answered by a young couple in Louisiana who are poor and have decided to part with their child at birth. This is one of TVs finest efforts and can be rented as a movie made for TV. Don't miss it!

"Baby Dance" is a fine addition to the onslaught of scrupulous films about birth rights and the dynamics involved when nature is not left to its own design, or is in some fashion revealed prematurely. In "Twilight of the Golds" it was homosexuality, and in "Gattaca" it was genetic predisposition, but Baby Dance is a bit more of a human drama with very real situations. I highly recommend this movie as a thought-provoking, intensely personal look at infertility and adoption. You may not like what you see, but what you see is real and genuine.

I continue to be impressed with Laura Dern's range. i've been a fan since Enightened, but I wasn't totally aware of how much range she has, how warm she can make her characters, how natural despite not necessarily playing them subtlety. She's an amazing actress, and this is actually one of her finest performances that I've seen. It's full of great pathos, great expressions that sort of tell you everything you need to know while not saying anything explicitly, Her character here could've come across as a caricature for most of the running time with a lesser actress, but Dern instantly makes her relatable and likable, and sort of empathetic towards her. That's a truly great mark.

Wow. What can I say about a movie that was straight to cable? Most made for cable movies get a bad rap but this one is an exception. I was extremely touched by this movie, and super impressed by the performances of Laura Dern and Stockard Channing. I don't have any kids, and have never adopted, but I was touched by what went on in this film. It was a simple story, basic plot, that was wonderfully executed. Jodie Foster was executive producer.

Laura Dern plays Wanda, a trailer trash woman pregnant with her 5th child. Her and her redneck husband Al decide to give the baby up to adoption since they cannot afford any more children as they already have 4. Rachel (Stockard Channing) and her husband Richard are a well to do, classy childless couple that is eagerly waiting to adopt their baby. Until Wanda gives birth they are paying all baby related expenses whichs starts to become a problem once they start feeling used since Wanda seems to be using the baby as a bargaining tool for getting what she wants.

I will agree with the previous posts that the ending is sad, but extremely moving and it makes me cry every single time I see it. The song played at the end is beautiful.

Also anyone that has any knowledge of adoption,should know that adopting a white newborn is tough. The waiting list is years long sometimes which is why couples sometimes are forced to be a little un-selective when it comes to choosing white parents. I thought Laura Dern was awesome as Wanda. I can see how her double digit IQ, irresponsible lifestyle can bug some people but it happens all the time unfortunately.

Great movie.