As a parent of a child with cerebral palsy myself, I found “Out of My Mind” to be a deeply moving and empowering film that resonated strongly with my own experiences. The character of Melody Brooks is not just an inspiration for those who are able-bodied, but a testament to the strength, resilience, and determination of individuals with disabilities.
The main character of “Out of My Mind,” a young girl with cerebral palsy, would not appreciate being labeled as inspiring. She expresses her disdain for pity and superficial gestures of sympathy. However, the filmmakers of the Disney Original movie adaptation, based on Sharon M. Draper’s novel, portray her as a typical inspirational figure, intended to educate able-bodied individuals about respecting and empathizing with disabilities. This approach could be beneficial for changing attitudes in medical and educational circles. However, the protagonist’s character development seems unusually lacking in this otherwise compelling film.
The film initiates with a thoughtful portrayal of 12-year-old Melody Brooks’ (Phoebe-Rae Taylor) daily school life chaos from the year 2002. Simultaneously, we catch glimpses of her amusing charisma, narrated internally by Jennifer Aniston, whom she admires from “Friends.” While Melody’s mother (Rosemarie DeWitt) is busy juggling tasks and venting to their insurance company, her father Chuck (Luke Kirby) is hurriedly arranging for the departure of Melody’s vivacious younger sister Penny (Emily Mitchell) to kindergarten. As nosy neighbor Mrs. V. (Judith Light) unexpectedly drops by, Melody often gets lost in the confusion and encounters minor setbacks from her father, such as turning off the TV without warning or falsely accusing her of tipping over pet goldfish Ollie’s tank, an incident she was actually trying to prevent.
For seven years, Melody has been enrolled in a special education class. Her longing to interact and learn with students in regular classes finally comes true when Dr. Katherine Ray (Courtney Taylor) opens up an opportunity for her to join the sixth-grade history class. Furthermore, she is granted a type-and-speak medi-talker unit. Yet, navigating this fresh environment isn’t effortless for Melody as she encounters disrespect from popular peers Claire (Kate Moyer) and Jodie (Gabriela Francis), as well as unrealistic expectations from the exclusive teacher Mr. Dimmings (Michael Chernus). Despite these challenges, her resilience prevails, and she forges a new friendship with Rose (Maria Nash). She thrives in class and eagerly anticipates the Whiz Kids trivia competition, where she believes she can demonstrate her abilities.
Despite the numerous hurdles Melody encounters due to being nonverbal and wheelchair-bound, director Amber Sealey and screenwriter Daniel Stiepleman immediately portray her as resourceful and capable. She tackles obstacles with a cheerful demeanor. She’s intellectually sharp and inventive, often finding creative ways to express complex ideas beyond the laminated word board she uses for communication, scanning the room to point at items. Even during an evaluation for an assistive speech device, under pressure, she ingeniously thinks beyond conventional solutions. She also cleverly uses others’ compassion to her advantage, cutting lines in popular stores to shop with Rose. Once granted opportunities for personal growth, Melody flourishes, discovering strength, elegance, and resilience.
Despite possessing admirable qualities, these traits ironically become a double-edged sword for Melody. As she confronts individuals who are unenlightened during her upbringing, she fails to discover new aspects about herself. Her primary obstacles lie in the external challenges: misuse of authority by doctors, insurance agents, school officials, and bullies determined to suppress her. Some of these hurdles seem manipulated, such as her exclusion from a trivia team event after demonstrating exceptional skills. Her struggle for increased independence is deeply moving and provides a platform for the voiceless. However, it’s hard not to notice that her journey primarily revolves around how she impacts those who seek to restrain her, rather than showcasing any internal transformation within herself (as she doesn’t require one).
In Sealey’s work, Melody’s actions are given ample room to echo as powerfully as her inner thoughts, beautifully portraying her character and individuality. This is achieved by displaying squares on her word tablet when she’s upset, interspersed with her external actions. Scenes ranging from Melody refusing her father’s insincere apology to her trying to get a group of bickering adults’ attention are skillfully handled by Sealey and editor Jacob Craycroft. They also incorporate humor, inserting a scene of Chuck boredly watching Penny lick salt off a large pretzel between Melody and Rose’s vibrant, colorful makeover sequence. Cinematographer Noah Greenberg adds depth to Melody’s happiness, highlighting her joy with a soft, warm golden-hour light.
Taylor’s act is the heartbeat of the movie. Her subtle emotions break hearts in poignant scenes and make them burst with joy during everyday victories. As a first-time leading actress who also lives with cerebral palsy, she infuses her character with sparkle, courage, and an endearing, genuine earnestness. She brings a tender vulnerability to her scenes with DeWitt, who this year has portrayed various aspects of motherhood – from a supportive cheerleader in this film to a manipulative ‘momager’ in “Smile 2.” Kirby delivers a grounded performance as a harried father and husband, moments that will surely make you tear up. Aniston’s voice work harmoniously complements Taylor’s, never overshadowing or distracting from her digital character’s acting.
As a cinephile, I found “Out of My Mind” to be an exceptional journey into the heart of growing up. Though there were challenges along the way, the filmmakers skillfully conveyed a powerful lesson: a person’s limitations should never hinder their personal development and self-reliance.
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2024-11-28 01:47