Wow! Such a good movie.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Yes I loved it. I picked it up (the film) just because Emily Watson was in it. I haven't seen many of her pictures, maybe 4 or 5, but then, they were all very good films, and I consider her such a fine actress that to see her name prompted my decision to rent this film. I suppose that after 30 films or so where she has been appearing, the fact that she is no beauty queen, made her come to her senses and realize that the best action for her in the movies was to be a natural, plain, excellent actress (my speculation, probably not hers). She bet on that and she won. I'm sure she worked more than many pretty faces known today forgotten tomorrow. This film is excellent. Everything in it works --I just found out that it was a made for TV production, a thing I never noticed while watching it (another point for never reading reviews before watching a movie). From the acting to the technical, no complains. The plot touches on a very delicate subject and it treats it superbly well. The unfolding of the original problem grows more and more out of any possible previous consideration, as much as a snowball rolls down the hill gathering more snow and becoming so huge that eventually will crush against the first firm obstacle in its way, as it was the case in this poignant story. The last scene is an overwhelming tear jerker, but then, a high class one, perfectly suited as a conclusion to the whole movie. Do not miss it!!

It was understood this would be a sorely depressing film, considering the unpleasant subject. I never read this novel, but any screenplay it contained would have tended toward low expectations. Even in this era of cloned flops.--Spoilers coming: Here we see nothing uplifting, not even the growing children. I've known some wonderful kids with Down's Syndrome. A sweet Downs child is usually more than able to capture your heart by sheer innocence and good will.Here the daughter Phoebe has that responsibility thrust on her because all the other characters are dreadful. They only convey grief and/or ignorance of the subject matter. Ostensibly because this novel all occurs in unenlightened days when Downs babies were referred to as "Mongoloid idiots." But in this plot there can be no excuses. Because her father, this "Memory Keeper" is a practicing physician. Yet, from panic he condemns his baby girl to an institution that seems nothing more than a zoo. Emily Watson's role is supposed to show love and compassion. She's this plot's lynch-pin. But what she acts out is deadpan worry. Both the mother who was deceived, and her boy the twin brother, are played with less nuance than her Downs-afflicted daughter emotes.Indeed, she carries on cheerfully. The plot, however, sags in all the important places. Except for some tearful expressions by Mom and Dad in early development, hardly any acting of significance is filmed. IMHO, the director of this movie ought to bow out of the profession and let others take the blame for depressing, bad films.

THE MEMORY KEEPER'S DAUGHTER in the form of a novel by Kim Edwards was a highly successful bestseller and probably was featured in more reading groups than any other novel during its circulation. So what happened when the novel became a made-for-television movie? Perhaps it is the below mediocre screenplay (oops!, teleplay!) by John Pielmeier that consistently galumphs along in an awkward pedestrian fashion removing all sense of credibility to the story. Perhaps it is the cut and paste direction by Mick Jackson that misses the pacing and character delineation. Perhaps it suffers from the cinematography of an uncredited source or the 'liquid tears' musical score by Daniel Licht. For whatever of these (or all of these) reasons, this novel-to-film survives because it does make a good case for educating the public about the capabilities of those born with Down Syndrome. And for that it is worthy of attention. Dr. David Henry (Dermot Mulroney), a successful orthopedic doctor, is married to the beautiful Norah (Gretchen Mol) and their lives are becoming changed by their pregnancy. On a stormy winter night in Kentucky Norah goes into labor and the Henry's rush to a nearby clinic where David delivers his wife (the doctor is caught in a snowstorm) with the assistance of his old friend, nurse Caroline Gill (Emily Watson). After the delivery of a perfect boy child (Paul) Norah continues to be in labor and (surprisingly...) delivers an unexpected (!) twin girl. David and Caroline immediately recognize that the little girl (Phoebe) is a 'mongoloid' (this is before the use of the term Down Syndrome) and David, having a history of losing a little sister because of a birth defect) decides to send Phoebe to an asylum for the mentally challenged: Caroline is to make the delivery and Norah is told the second twin died at birth. Caroline follows instructions, sees the conditions of the 'home' where Phoebe is to be deposited, shrinks in horror, and decides to keep the child. Aided by a friendly trucker, Caroline changes her solitary existence and mothers Phoebe, finding a new life in her trucker's Pittsburgh. Norah insists on a formal funeral for Phoebe - a fact that deeply disturbs David's psyche, and the Henry's life goes on with only the one child Paul, leaving submerged pains about the lack of Phoebe's presence. Norah gifts David with a camera ('peoples lives are like a camera, that's where they live - in a room captured by a moment') and David becomes obsessed with photography. Norah grieves, drinks, and loses David's attention, while David traces Phoebe's existence with Caroline - sending money and letters to Pittsburgh. Paul (Tyler Stentiford to Jamie Spilchuk) grows up, discovers his mother's infidelities and is angered about his father's lack of communication and understanding, and decides to fulfill his goal of becoming a musician, and off to Juilliard he goes. Meanwhile Phoebe (Krystal Hope Nausbaum) has matured into a very highly adapted young girl, and the manner in which the broken marriage of the Henrys happens and the healing atmosphere of Phoebe's and Paul's lives coupled with the courage that has supported Caroline Gill's struggle to gain acceptance in the world for those born with Down Syndrome forms the conclusion of the film. The cast of well-known actors tries hard, but only Emily Watson is able to resurrect a credible character from this squishy script. Jamie Spilchuk gives evidence of a young actor with much promise. Dermot Mulroney and Gretchen find it difficult to mold empathetic characters form the corny lines they are given to deliver. The film is a mess, but the message about acceptance of Down Syndrome children and adults is an important one. Grady Harp

Does anyone know the name of the song that Paul is playing on the guitar when the family is vacationing at the beach???I really enjoyed the book, but I wasn't entirely thrilled with the way the movie turned out. The book kept me turning the pages... I really thought that the movie didn't portray the struggle that Caroline went through with Phoebe growing up and her passion for her as a mother.It really only touched on many of the aspects of the book and in my opinion the movie was sort of a quick synopsis of the book. The acting was OK... not Oscar-worthy or anything, just OK.It was, however, entertaining, but I'm glad I read the book first!