So B. It

An American family drama; A story about a young girl who travels across America to understand more about her mother's past. This is a film to be regarded for excellent individual performances and much less for the plot, which is not very plausible, but there is flair and style in the way it is told. The actress playing the precocious child captures the conflict within her, one who feels responsible for her autistic mother more than she might be emotionally equipped to process and handle. But it is the portrayal of Mama, the mother, where the issue lies. Lacking agency, she does not, as a character, serve the plot, confining her to the fringes. The result feels false and convenient for the story. It is a family film with a good heart nonetheless and avoids being mawkish or cloying, but the film ends conveniently with a neat line under the issues the young girl would face.

This film has good intentions, but when all is said and done, it is little more than a sentimental tear-jerker. Heidi lives in an apartment with her mentally disabled mother and her next-door neighbor Bernadette. The apartment is actually Bernadette's, with her mother's apartment easily accessed through a removed closet panel.

Odd? Quite. Especially since Bernadette has no idea who pays for Heidi's mother's apartment. She met her right after she gave birth to Heidi, and no one ever came over to ask if she had seen Heidi's mother. Still with me here? Yes, Bernadette just decides to care for Heidi and her mother, instead of calling in social services or anyone else.

Apparently, she pays for all their food and clothes and other stuff, but sends 12-year-old Heidi, dressed to look like an adult, off to a slot machine place where she always wins lots of quarters. No joke. Bernadette also homeschools Heidi, so there was never a need for a birth certificate or any other form of identification. She obviously doesn't want Heidi to be taken away from her by anyone.

Bernadette has agoraphobia, you see, and really emotionally needs Heidi and her mother. Problem is Heidi is at an age where she wants to know who her father is, why her mother has no relatives, and doesn't even have a real name. (Bernadette calls her "Precious".) So, after looking at photos in her mother's apartment for the very first time in 12 years, off Heidi runs away to the east coast to find answers.

It's a long bus trip from Reno, Nevada, but Heidi gets to where she is going, and soon finds answers to all her questions. It's really not much of a story and not particularly believable, both Heidi's family story and the movie's story. Yet, from reading reviews, it appears to be a story some viewers found very touching. If you are the type of viewer who has a box of tissues nearby, do give the film a try.

Well, it had potential, but only for those who need a pollyannish, feel good, everything turns out all right, comforting story to make their day. Real world, unfortunately needs a bit of help. Anyway, well acted although not much required. Major problems for those who are not intimate with the story is our young heroine has the God given ability to cheat at slot machines; mysteriously count beans in a jar along with other similar mysterious "gifts" that might have made a better story if used for humanity, etc. Also sex by institutionalized severe/profound disabled patients in a care facility in our state would have serious repercussions, but in this story is swept under the rug. Awkward editing; poor audio control; at times poor enunciation; combined with cost saving no subtitles made it difficult to follow what is important to the story - the dialogue.

what an impossible journey of life of this little girl. This girl is hardly adolescent but her mental strength and future reading ability is undoubtedly above question. The way she took the path for the search of her past is really special. Not much movie now a days provides this type of agenda relating the emotional search operation by a little girl rather they are devoid of these small corners of mind. This is where this movie stands a bit different. It is a pure family drama , a bit separated from the current tradition by its soft sweet steps of life.

I am very much impressed with the girl..who is the main character of the film. she is so pretty and the character suited her so well that it was impossible to separate her from it. She was spontaneous , Fluent and very much clever to create a really enjoyable drama of her so called little journeys. She was impressive in roads, in buses and trains, in unknown areas, with peoples whom she is not familiar with. But she always finds a way to be in the right direction of her destination. She has such a strong will that she cannot be detached from the path.

So be the part of it...Stays till the end to see what happens to her. Is she able to find out what she was looking for??? Is she able to get the answers of her questions???..Wait and see where she takes you. Don't be afraid..She can do no wrong.....

My wife and I watched this movie in March 2018 at home on DVD from our public library, I repeated the viewing in January 2020. Yes, it is a real gem of a movie.

We find out the girl is 12, she lives in Reno with her mother and an agoraphobic woman in the adjacent apartment. How? Well when the girl was only 7 days old and the mother clearly distraught, the woman next door punched out a couple of panels that enabled them to have a door between the two living spaces. The mother, whose named seemed to be So B. It, was severely disabled, only spoke a few words, and certain events would make her get out of control. Clearly not able to be an adequate mother. How did all this come about? That in fact is the heart of the movie.

Heidi is the 12-yr-old girl, played by Talitha Bateman. She is very bright and capable and as she has become aware of her unusual situation in life started to ask questions about where she came from. Then the break comes when they find a old canister of exposed but undeveloped 35mm color film. The photos lead her to a small community in upstate New York and a home for disabled adults.

All the actors are good but the impact of movie depends on young Talitha Bateman and she carries it very well. Unusually well. This is a good movie of a good, heartwarming story.