Out of My Mind
Out of My Mind
Out of My Mind: Shockingly, it has been nearly seven years since Wonder came out and took the children’s film and book industries by storm. It revolved around a kid with facial differences and had Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts and Jacob Tremblay in its cast, it was based on the book by Stephen Chbosky, was much appreciated for its nuanced treatment of disability. Casting of a child without the character’s deformity in the main role earned some criticism, but all through the most part, it became a mainstay in the depiction of children’s disability.
Out of My Mind, the latest film of Amber Sealey, is devoid of any chances or disputes over casting, and this is quite understandable as the movie itself premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is due for release at Disney Plus later this year. About a sixth grader with CP named Melody, this is the first feature film for newcomer Phoebe-Rae Taylor as she also has the same condition.
When we first see her sitting with her mother and peers, we notice almost zero communication with any active speech, and they seem content with a very basic picture and word chart used at home with the most immediate family.
While her mother was the voice over performer, Jennifer Aniston could likely be better than that, something she even demonstrates to her father (Luke Kirby). She is a fighter and advocate mother Rosemarie Dewitt who has been fighting for her child yet knows better than to expect miracles from her child.
A PhD student (Courtney Taylor), while seeking to explain to the further plans for the girl with apparent special needs, during a IEP meeting, successfully persuades the other administration that the girl needs to be placed in an age-appropriate sixth class with regular subjects, her peers.
Her dreams for such normal things like new fangled clothing and a first kiss for instance begin to surface quite early on.
But with a disheartened teacher (Michael Chernus), a lovably over-the-top neighbor (Judith Light) and her relatives on her side, she begins to use a Medi-talk communications device, and this amazing depth of her gets out.
One thing worth noting here is that Danielle Stiepplman writing the screenplay (based on the girl, in the same name novel by Sharon M. Draper) doesn’t update or change things and the relationships from the book setting October 2002. It is a special room, where for several years melody relaxes, living the same lesson over and over again.
Of course special education didn’t look the same then as now not even with the encouraging trends of mainstream education. This is rather old-fashioned being aimed at upper elementary to middle school children. Some Ideas of the story, especially to do with disability, i.e. perhaps, would benefit from keeping to a contemporary setting.
Larry is exceptional in this regard. And just to add some really nice parental comedy, there’s nothing about him that you couldn’t buy as a loving albeit worn out husband.
Stiepleman’s script glosses over the parental difficulties but that doesn’t stop Kirby from rendering herself deeply. Worth noting too is the chemistry that develops between DeWitt and Kirby. Just as CODA depicted two parents who, despite the obvious divorce, in their hearts were inseparable still, Out of my mind does this subtlety.
Melody piercing inner dialogue is voiced by the pretty face herself, Jennifer Aniston. Generally, voiceover in a film is a narrative technique intended to be peripheral to the main action, which is not common with this film. Due to some, Aniston is clearly present in the main storyline with some scenes where thanks to her, my annoyingly overstated scenes were done.
Plotwise, there is a reason why Melody got to choose that voice, it’s simply because she loves the TV show, Friends. However, because we don’t always have to hear Melody’s voiceover torture on every scene with the exact same outcome, the messy attempt to snap her binaural tips back on sometimes becomes orthotic dowel swaddle.
Out of My Mind may not portray disability representation in the best possible way but it is a child friendly and a good starting point in demonstrating how people with different abilities have the same aspirations and fears like everyone else. That was how entertainment and humanity moved together, and Phoebe-Rae Taylor nailed that aunt surprisingly. When it comes to representation, you can’t get better than that.
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- Genre: Drama
- Country: United States
- Director: Amber Sealey
- Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Rosemarie De, WittLuke Kirby
