Losing Isaiah (1995)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Stephen Gyllenhaal

Writers (WGA):

Seth Margolis (novel)
Naomi Foner (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 March 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Who decides what makes a mother?

Plot:

The natural and adoptive mothers of a young boy are involved in a bitter, controversial custody battle.

Plot Keywords:

Mother | Baby | Son | Social Worker | Boy

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jessica Lange	...	Margaret Lewin
Halle Berry	...	Khaila Richards
David Strathairn	...	Charles Lewin
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Eddie Hughes
Daisy Eagan	...	Hannah Lewin
Marc John Jefferies	...	Isaiah
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Kadar Lewis
Joie Lee	...	Marie
Regina Taylor	...	Gussie
LaTanya Richardson	...	Caroline Jones
Jacqueline Brookes	...	Judge Silbowitz
Donovon Ian H. McKnight	...	Amir
Rikkia A. Smith	...	Josie
Paulette McDaniels	...	Ethel
Velma Austin	...	Rehab Leader

MPAA:

Rated R for drug related material and brief strong language.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | USA:R (certificate #33118) | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG | UK:15 (video premiere)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

In between takes, a make-up girl accidentally scratched Halle Berry's corneas while applying eye drops, resulting in much pain and missed work for Ms. Berry.

Quotes:

Rehab Leader: [as Khaila suddenly bursts into tears] Khaila, what is it? What's wrong?
Khaila Richards: I killed him.
Rehab Leader: What?
Khaila Richards: My baby. I killed my baby. I threw him in the trash can.

Soundtrack:

Ghetto Red Hot

What was that??!!!

My comments have nothing to do with the obvious good acting skills, it's the plot that bothers me. Maybe it's because I'm from Canada where I don't believe that racial issues play as important a part as in the United States(of course racist attitudes exist in Canada), but I was completely astonished that the colour of someone's skin was the deciding factor of where a child belongs - that's completely unrealistic to me and that was the ONLY point the biological mother's lawyer made.

Give me a break! As a mother, I understand that the only reason you have a child is to give life to that child for it to be happy and "your ownership" never plays a feeling moment because when you really love and care for a child, you're ultimate feeling is for that child to be happy and you, as the loving mother, always comes second - that child comes first!

This particular movie explained the baby to be thrown in the garbage and that fact was never brought out in court. It's not about race/money - this movie was unrealistic and for those who think the biological mother was right -- ask yourself if you're thinking of the child or a selfish adult who cannot grow up and admit a mistake and try and make it better by considering the child's feelings at this point. Wouldn't it be better if the biological mother introduced herself slowly into the child's life and not turned his world upside down at an age where he only looks for security??? And, the biological mother never once thanked the adopted mom for saving her baby's life and taking care of him. Again, I found this movie unrealistic and disturbing that the torment of a child would be allowed, especially by someone who says they "love" them - that's not love, that's selfishness!

As for the ending -- the biological mother shouldn't have won, period. ---imagine, the poor kid never would have went through the torment. -- a mother even gradually brings their child to daycare before they leave their child for just a couple hours!