Movie with Adoption

Yesterday, Disney released The Odd Life of Timothy Green. The movie is a story within a story and follows a couple who – when faced with infertility – write down the qualities they hope for in a child and then put them in a box and bury it in their garden. Magically, a boy grows out of the garden, comes into their lives and is each of the things they wrote about. But of course, there’s a twist…

Reviews have been mixed. Some feel it’s a film that examines the things parents want and hope for their children. Others have felt it’s too surface-level and treats its subject matter too lightly. While the movie has characters who could represent some real life situations for adoptive couples (a disapproving family member who doesn’t understand your adoption choice and a school bully who preys on a child who is different), the adoption process is definitely atypical.

What do you think? Is this a movie better enjoyed by people who haven’t experienced infertility and adoption themselves? Could this film be a good conversation starter for you and your family about adoption?

After a TV season full of adoption story lines (Glee, Parenthood, Modern Family, etc.), how does this film compare in its portrayal of adoption issues?

Watch the trailer below, and let us know how you feel about the movie!