Baby (2000) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Robert Allan Ackerman

Writers (WGA):

Patricia MacLachlan (book)
David Manson (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

8 October 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

When tragedy struck her family, the healing began with very small steps.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Book

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Farrah Fawcett	...	Lily Malone
Keith Carradine	...	John Malone
Jean Stapleton	...	Byrd
Alison Pill	...	Larkin Malone
Vincent Berry	...	Lalo Baldetti
Ann Dowd	...	Ms. Minifred
Sebastian Roché	...	Rebel Clark
Paula Malcomson	...	Julia
Kyra Harper	...	Marvella Baldelli
Cheyenne Heath	...	Baby Sophie
Kailee Heath	...	Baby Sophie
Kassandra Collins	...	Toddler Sophie
Coreena Collins	...	Toddler Sophie
Gil Filar	...	Ozzie
Lauren Collins	...	Portia Pinter

Runtime:

Germany:91 min (25 fps) | Spain:93 min | USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:S | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Nova Scotia, Canada

Company:

Sarabande Productions

Quotes:

John Malone: [reading Julia's letter] "This is Sophie. She is almost a year old and she is good. I cannot take care of her now, but I know she will be safe with you. You are a good family. I will lose her forever if you don't do this. I will send money for her when I can. I will come back for her one day. I love her."
[Finishes reading]
John Malone: She spelled "forever" wrong.

Uncommonly haunting telefilm about an abandoned child's affect on a rural island family.

This strangely affecting film has the look and feel of a well-produced indie film. "Baby" is exquisitely shot and uniformly well-acted - propelling it miles above the sea of mediocrity that is TV. The deliberate pace avoids cliched melodrama in favor of character development. Although quiet and slow, "Baby" is well-worth sticking with.

I don't want to give too much away, but the central family (played by Farrah Fawcett, Keith Carridine, Jean Stapleton and Alison Pill) is scarred from a tragedy in the past. The arrival of an abandoned baby simultaneously wreaks havoc and brings joy upon the family. Producer Glenn Close offers affecting narratioin that never becomes obtrusive.

It's nice to see Farrah sporting dark hair, with her wrinkles in full glory as Lily. This is her best role in years, and she radiates warmth and (flawed) humanity. Be warned, though, her non-sex symbol appearance will be a bit jarring.

Stapelton has never been better as Bird, erasing any memory of her beloved Edith Bunker portrayal within her first seconds onscreen. As Lily's husband, Carridine has risen from TV B-movie hell to give a subtle performance that ranks as his finest work since 1975's "Nashville."

The real revelation here, however, is young newcomer Alison Pill. She simply rocks and deserves a career marked by longevity and accolades. Her eyes parlay a wealth of emotions, sometimes with little or no dialogue. Her work here ranks with the best performances from young actors (i.e. Tatum O'Neal in "Paper Moon," Haley Joel Osment in "The Sixth Sense") and neatly avoids being cutesy and annoying.

If you liked "Good Will Hunting," "Ordinary People" or "One True Thing," this flick could be for you. Give it a chance.