Your Reviews Are In!

Dateline: 02/15/99

Last night's airing of "Deep In My Heart" on CBS has caused much comment among members of the adoption community today, and several have accepted my invitation to present their views and reviews of this film that deals with so many of the issues surrounding adoption.

If you missed it...

Sunday night's showing marked the premiere of this made-for-television movie directed by Anita Addison and starring Anne Bancroft, Lynn Whitfield, Gloria Reuben and Jesse Martin. If you missed it, it tells the story of a biracial adoptee, conceived as a result of rape, and her search for and reunion with her birthmother, who placed her for adoption in the 1960's. The film is based on a true story.

Professional reviewers beware...

We have some great reviews, with differing viewpoints and different opinions. Just click on the reviewer's name to read her comments. A panel of eight women... birthmothers and adult adoptees. Unfortunately, no adoptive parents answered the call to review, but as you will see, some of our reviewers did consider the film from their vantage point as well.

Meet our distinguished panel...
in alphabetical order (last name)

• Marie Barron
  Marie Barron is a reunited birthmother from Seattle who hopes that viewers of the film will realize that reunion promotes healing.
  
  
• Carol Chenault
  An adoptee, Carol Chenault believes the film did not do justice to the adoptive parent-child relationship, but that it was a moving depiction of the birthmother and foster mother experience.
  
  
• Patricia Cullinan
  The film was aptly titled, according to reunited birthmother Patricia Cullinan, who knows first-hand the pain of relinquishment.
  
  
• Lury Dowda
  Reunited with her daughter after 33 years of separation, birthmother Lury Dowda hopes that those who are not familiar with adoption issues learned about some of the harsh realities faced by birthmothers.
  
  
• Michelle Hills
  Adoptee Michelle Hills appreciated the way the film presented the stigma attached to adoption, but questions issues that were not addressed.
  
  
• Tawny J
  Tawny J is a searching birthmother who saw the film as an important reminder that a birthmother never forgets.
  
  
• Beth Leve
  Thinking about the film kept adoptee Beth Leve awake as she relived some of her own experiences.
  
  
• Cheryl Richmond
  Adoptee Cheryl Richmond believes the search process was over-simplified, but points out that the inequities of the adoption system are the more serious issue to be addressed.

And the verdict is...

Reading all the reviews, and adding my own proverbial two cents, it's apparent that the film moved all of us, and that we're each glad we watched it. Each of the reviewers expressed a keen sense of the consciousness-raising aspect of the movie, hoping that those in and out of the adoption community were able to learn something from it.

While Deep In My Heart had its shortcomings, as most film versions of true stories do, I leave you with the words of Cheryl Richmond:

"This was a refreshing treatment from the usual adoption-themed fodder that Hollywood puts out there in TV/Movie land!"

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My profound thanks go out to these reviewers who were able to work within an incredibly limited time frame to give their thoughtful consideration and comments.

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