Director: Amber Sealey
Stars: Phoebe-Rae Taylor, Rosemarie DeWitt, Luke Kirby
Running Time: 102 minutes
Release Date: November 22, 2024
Have you ever tried to imagine how it feels to be in a world where there is much to express but there is the inability of expressing it? Out of My Mind does a wonderful job of portraying that struggle and that victory in a realistic fashion that is sure to make you reflect.
The story:
Melody Brooks, 12 years old, is smart and creative, but due to her traumatic experiences she becomes non-verbal and locks herself up in her thoughts. Melody is a young girl with cerebral palsy, which is why she uses a wheelchair to get around; however, even wheels cannot replace her speech. However, there is a type of technology, called augmented alternative communication that can help her speak. However, it costs seventeen thousand dollars, and insurance cannot pay for it.
Fortunately, Melody has come to a conclusion that she has the best parents ever – Chuck and Penny, Canadian actors Luke Kirby and Rosemarie DeWitt respectively, and the constant support and encouragement of Katherine Ray, a post-doctoral student, Courtney Taylor. Together they manage to find a unit for Melody and they get new opportunities.
The speech device enhances Melody’s chances of being in a regular sixth grade classroom instead of the special education classroom she has been in for seven years. She dreams of have friends, dressing smart and interesting, and getting a good education – perhaps even a place on the school’s quiz team. The teacher and school administration do not approve of it, but Melody has grown a new pair of wings and she is not going to be stopped.
Out of My Mind is not the movie I was looking forward to see at all. Yes, it is motivational and inspiring. And yes, it does embody most of the possible tropes and vibes you would expect from the feel-good family/kids’ movie. However, this cinematic hit does not always provide the best endings that one would usually expect to discover in this sort of program. However, it makes some tough turnings, developing the characters and giving them a chance to show sorrow, bravery and perseverance.
There is no shortage of positive messages, while the importance of the aspects like kindness, empathy, being a good neighbor, open-mindedness, and the advantage of diversity are also underlined throughout. It is an enlightening movie for children and even for people who are still young at heart and a good topic for conversation at home and in school.
As this is a made-for-streaming movie, I did not expect the quality to be bad; however, I was positively shocked to see the opposite. The script is quite acceptable while the performances are excellent. Phoebe-Ray Taylor is very emotive and lets us into Melody’s world especially when she is unable to use her voice. Courtney Taylor is equally well cast and plays the role of the post-doc student who is trying to get Melody into the mainstream education with a lot of confidence and positivity.
The parents portrayed by Luke Kirby and Rosemarie DeWitt also display love, worry, hope and realistic protectiveness of Melody.
The last aspect we must consider when it comes to the realistic elements of the movie is some of the problems that Melody has to face. I had a relation who struggled throughout the school year in order to have her disabled child attend the mainstream school; the Brooks parents are good example of people who can struggle where bureaucracy is supposed to assist.
Equally frustrating is the location of this scene in an airport. If like me you have flown with a relative in a wheelchair, you will relive the angering and frustration that one confronts while trying to deal with the appalling service and pointless impediments that often hinder mobility challenged travel. Honestly, this part of the movie can only be compared with an unwanted and not very pleasant flash-back for viewers with the disability and their close ones. This is more realistic than necessary.
However, if you are concerned about taking your family to see a movie that is condescending in its treatment of mental disability while at the same time encouraging the use of devices like iPads, then Out of my Mind can be recommended. Thus, one of the biggest advantages of books and movies is that these sources give people an opportunity to look at the world through the eyes of another person. And letting kids see things through Melody’s eyes will always be a win.
Why is Out of My Mind Parents Guide & Age Rating
Why is Out of My Mind rated TV-PG? Out of My Mind is rated TV-PG by the MPAA for infrequent coarse language
Violence: A child is hit by a car but is not seriously injured. A fish jumps out of its tank and is seen flopping around the floor. An angry child sabotages an expensive technical device.
Sexual Content: A girl mentions wanting “boobs”. Girls talk about kissing boys.
Profanity: The script contains a half dozen terms of deity and minor profanities.