Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Orphan Movie Spoiler

First of all, Esther is taken for adoption by couple trying to a baby lost in miscarriage.

Esther attempts to kill both of her siblings on several occasions, threatens to castrate the brother ("I'll cut your hairless little dick off before you even know what it's for"), brains a bird, stabs a guy to death... pretty brutal.

Allegedly:

Esther turns out to be a former prostitute, whose clients were pedophiles. She wears the ribbon around her neck because of scars from her former occupation.

But wait it gets worse, the reason she's trying to get rid of her foster family is that she wants to seduce her "foster father"!

What the heck were Alex Mace and David Johnson smoking when they came up with this idea?

Did they think it titillating like Lolita to see 9-year-old a girl seducing a grown man? And is there anyone who is going to go into this movie not knowing this and come out thinking that they just watched a good movie?

This is way beyond adoption!! This is repugnant on far too many levels.

MEANWHILE...

Adoption advocates request meeting with Warner Brothers to discuss Orphan movie by Cathy Doheny

This article reveals a letter dated July 9, 2009, representatives of 11 of the nations most influential adoption advocacy organizations requested a meeting with Warner Brothers Chairman and CEO Barry Meyer to discuss their concerns about the upcoming release of the horror movie, "Orphan".

The letter, written five days before a similar one sent by members of the House and Senate, was signed by:

According to Kathleen Strottman, Executive Director of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, executives from Warner Brothers have yet to issue a formal response to the letter.

"Orphan" is scheduled to open in theaters nationwide on Friday.

7 comments:

maybe said...

Wow, that is a demented story line. A prostitue who catered to pedophiles? Sick.

O Solo Mama said...

Uh, Mirah, I thought you were OK with this movie. What did you call the previous uproar about the trailer? "An uproariously funny big fuss-about-nothing." So how do you feel about it now? Do you not think that the same inflammatory stereotyping that infected the line, "It must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own" infected the rest of the plot or are the two things totally unrelated in your view?

AdoptAuthor said...

Uh, Solo... There is no contradiction. Yes, I still feel the hullabaloo made over the line in the trailer is way out of proportion, as does Bastaredette and many adoptees, some of whom created an Esther tee shirt. I believe it is all spearheaded by the AAAA, ACT for Adoption, Congressional Coalition and so on - all of whom profit from adoption and are afraid of a loss of financial gain.

Now, a new aspect of the film has been revealed. is there anyone who is NOT opposed to child prostitution and pedophilia?

A connection? How so> Not sure your implication, please explain.

Are you implying that the prospective adoptive parents (I THINK that is her position) mom has a right to not love or to get rid of a child because of her horrendous background? My answer to that is NO.

I think the film inadvertently might point out the lack of sufficient preparation and truthful information often passed along in adoptions of older children. One reviewer pointed out that the couple almost immediately decide on this adoption after a miscarriage.

I am extremely curious how the adoptive parent community feels about the line in another trailer I saw where the Pros. A-mom says she wants to "get rid of" esther and that she needs ot do so protect "HER" kids?!

Bottom line for me, Solo, is that I am never afraid of anything that has the potential to discourage adopters. Adoption today is demand-driven. Less demand would be welcome as would equate to less exploitation and coercion.

It is estimated that if one in five perspective adopters adopted a an older child from foster care in the US, all 129,000 would have homes. Isn't that extraordinary? So who cares if 4 out of 5 are scared away?

Children from foster care or institutions have been neglected and abused and have limited ability to attach and often repeat abusive behavior. So anyone taking one needs to face the real possible danger to other children in the home.

Does it justify getting "rid" of them, no. But it may well justify institutional treatment.

O Solo Mama said...

"Are you implying that the prospective adoptive parents (I THINK that is her position) mom has a right to not love or to get rid of a child because of her horrendous background?"

No, I'm saying that the trailer and the plot are one and the same: an adoption stereotype. You honestly think I would think it's OK to just get rid of a child because of her background?

AdoptAuthor said...

Solo - Your comments tend to be a bit cryptic and I cannot the read minds, so I ask.

Now that you have explained, I do not think either the trailer or movie are stereotyping adoption, older children who are adopted, or orphans. I think it is a fictionalized horror movie about a sick, demented adult.

AdoptAuthor said...

Alas, a seemingly neutral reviewer who agrees with me and the Bastardette about this ridiculous film:

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/07/orphan-will-
kill-kids-or-something.html

AdoptAuthor said...

And yet another SANE blog post about this film...and by a PhD who is also an adoptive mom of troubled kids!

http://theadoptioncounselor.com/Blog/?p=294

Also note how she tells of the "slanted media" misquoting her and taking things she said out of context...something many of us have experienced.

RussiaToday Apr 29, 2010 on Russian Adoption Freeze

Russi Today: America television Interview 4/16/10 Regarding the Return of Artyem, 7, to Russia alone

RT: Russia-America TV Interview 3/10

Korean Birthmothers Protest to End Adoption

Motherhood, Adoption, Surrender, & Loss

Who Am I?

Bitter Winds

Adoption and Truth Video

Adoption Truth

Birthparents Never Forget