Saturday Evening Three-Line Movie Review

Far From the Tree*

directed by Rachel Dretzin
based on Andrew Solomon's Far From the Tree

It's a given that I'd rush to see this documentary, as I believe Andrew Solomon's book Far From the Tree should be at everyone's bedside and a probable replacement for the Gideon Bible which has been so grossly twisted by its most evangelical adherents. Solomon's book is about humanity for humanity, and in these grotesquely inhumane times when children with brown skin are kidnapped from their parents and put in confinement camps, Solomon's brilliant and compassionate view of difference and Dretzin's visual interpretation of that book, along with a sensitive portrayal of several families' experiences, make for profound viewing. Like the book, the documentary should resonate for everyone because it's about family and love and the gnarly twists and turns of life, for those who might interpret difference as tragedy and for those who know that to hold both tragedy and joy at once is the ultimate expression of grace.








* Andrew Solomon and several of the cast of the documentary attended the screening and answered questions afterward. Here are a couple of pictures that Carl took:

More Three-Line Movie Reviews:


Sorry to Bother You
RBG
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Learning to Drive
Love and Mercy
Not a Three Line Movie Review
While We're Young
Ida
Force Majeur 
Gone Girl
Saint Vincent
Get on Up
Begin Again
Chef
The Immigrant
Cesar Chavez
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Gloria
Labor Day 
Philomena

August: Osage County

Her

American Hustle

Far From the Tree and Corragio e Molto Forte

Last night, my dear friend Moye and I went downtown to hear Andrew Solomon discuss his recent masterpiece Far From the Tree. I know that many of you have read the book or at least heard about it, but if you haven't, here's a short video that will warm you up:

* FAR FROM THE TREE - book trailer * from Nick Davis on Vimeo.

Solomon was one of the most charming and articulate speakers that I've ever heard, and both Moye and I were overwhelmed by the enormity of his accomplishment. We bought the book and afterward stood in line to have him sign our copies. I told him that I was the parent of a child with multiple severe disabilities and then I thanked him for connecting so many, for voicing so much, for his kindness and intelligence. As you can see in the above photo, he wrote me a simple message, but it took my breath away.

My father, for years and years and years, has always whispered those words to me or said them aloud: Corragio e Molto Forte

Courage and much strength.

Far from the Tree

I haven't read the book, yet. I told a couple of friends who asked that I feel like I've already read the book. I haven't read the book, but I think I'm living the book. I've read so much about it; I've read excerpts; I've read blog posts of those who have read it. I've even discussed it as if I've read it which I know is sort of ridiculous. I bought a copy, and it's sitting in a pile of books by my bed. Last week, though, I had a disturbing conversation with a mental health professional who had some disturbingly old-fashioned ideas about disability, about what it means to have a disabled child, a disabled sibling -- the toll it takes on a family, the horror, the horror. This conversation temporarily undid me until I had a few conversations with my people. The people of my tribe, those whose children have fallen far from the tree. I was lifted by those conversations from weariness to power, so now I might read it.

My friend Jody, who I've written about here many times, is of my tribe, and she has a gorgeous piece of writing on the community page of Andrew Solomon's Far From the Tree website. Please read it. And then read it again. And then think it and live it and then share it.