Molly
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Aaron Eckhart, D.W. Moffett, Elisabeth Shue, Jill Hennessy, Thomas JaneBrand: SHUE,ELIZABETH
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 102 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-04-25
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Movie Reviews of Molly
Movie Review: Autism Awareness
Summary: 5 Stars
There are very few movies dealing with extremely painful issues. It seems these issues are at times hidden in doctor's offices and schools and unless you have a relative or friend with this disorder it might remain a mystery to you.
Since recent studies are suggesting that as many as 1 in 150 children age 10 or younger may be affected by autism or a related disorder, this film is relevant and brings awareness to the disorder.
Some say it is a result of giving babies their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot and doctors claim it is primarily a genetic disorder. Many parents say the shot caused their child to throw tantrums, lose language skills and tune out. The theory is that some autism stems from a severe immune reaction to the vaccine.
There are many treatments which can make a difference in the life of an autistic person. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, medication and special diets are of benefit.
I first found out about autism while working for a family in the Seattle, WA area and I was amazed at the sheer patience the parents exhibited. If you think your life is at all difficult, spend one day with an autistic child. It takes a great amount of patience, love and commitment.
Not only is life difficult for the caretakers, daily life is also difficult for autistic people. "Molly" shows both sides of the story.
Elisabeth Shue plays Molly and completely captures the extremely short attention spans, indifference to those around her, tantrums and screaming, obsessive interests, preoccupations with various objects, love for identical routines, acute hearing and love of saying "no" to every question.
Her 32-year-old brother Buck (Aaron Eckhart) suddenly becomes responsible for her when the home she is staying in closes. She turns his world upside down and when he loses his job, he finds other work he can do at home so they can survive.
When they discover a way Molly may be significantly helped, she undergoes a brain operation. There is a constant threat that the person who has emerged from Molly's body will again sink into the depths of autism. She starts to make everyone aware of what an autistic person goes through and can express herself in an intelligent manner. In fact people with autism can be extremely intelligent. They are really just locked inside a body which will not let them interact with others in a way society expects.
Molly has moments which are so delightfully funny because in any other situation besides a movie, they would probably be embarrassing to a person caring for the person. Molly has a child-like joy and one of the best moments in the movie is when she runs through a water fountain with pure joy and fascination. She can be rather mischievous at times. There are also some rather surreal moments you just have to accept for what they are.
She even considers marriage and reaches a level of independence which was impossible before the operation.
Throughout the movie, they promote an awareness that we are all valuable human beings no matter what our disorders and that love and patience is sorely needed in our society. Instead of accepting societies tendency to hide individuals with mental conditions, they encourage us to learn more about mental illness and to treat these individuals with the respect all human beings deserve.
This is a beautiful story of how a brother takes on the responsibility of looking after his sister and goes beyond the call of duty to make her life peaceful and comforting.
Get out the tissues! Throughout the movie, the beauty of the innocence of a child can at times be a bit overwhelming. Especially if you know someone who has this condition.
You will cry, laugh and cry some more. I found this to be a roller coaster of emotions and while the ending is not what you expect, it is a mingling of beauty and sadness.
~The Rebecca Review
Summary of Molly
Imagine experiencing life through the eyes of an innocent child forever. Beautiful and vibrant, Molly McKay might have a mental disability but she's not about to let the world pass her by. Starring Academy AwardÂ(r) nominee* Elizabeth Shue in an inspired performance, Molly is a joyous celebration of the irrepressible human spirit. Autistic since birth, 28-year-old Molly (Shue) isa carefree young woman with an incredible zest for life. Her brother Buck (Aaron Eckhart), a 32-year-old with a full social calendar and a booming career, has had little contact with Molly over the yearsuntil the facility that cares for her closes down. Now it's up to Buck to take his sister in and that's turning into a full-time job! Bold, childlike and very energetic, Molly completely envelops her brother's life and turns his ordered world into chaos. Then, just when Buck is at his wit's end, Molly becomes a candidate for a new medical procedure that could cure her completely but is it worth the risk? Molly sure thinks so'she's ready to experience everything! *1995: Actress, Leaving Las VegasThe title character of Molly, played by Elisabeth Shue (Oscar nominee for Leaving Las Vegas), suffers from one of those afflictions that are only found in Hollywood movies: she's sort of mentally challenged, sort of autistic--but only enough to give her a childlike appreciation of rhythmic water fountains and The Wizard of Oz. An operation that somehow activates brain cells brings Molly to a more sophisticated level of intelligence, much to the astonishment and joy of her brother Buck (Aaron Eckhart, playing a much more sympathetic character than he did in In the Company of Men). Then, when her brain cell progress becomes threatened for some unclear reason, Molly and Buck are faced with her mental reversal. Aside from being scientifically dubious and somewhat insulting to mentally challenged people and their families, the developing sibling relationship has an emotional pull. Eckhart brings a quiet dignity to his role, lending a bit of realism with his understated performance. Shue, though saddled with an impossible character, has moments of naked emotion that almost make Molly believable. Thomas Jane (Deep Blue Sea), as a medical assistant with a never-explained "learning disability," does all he can with his equally inconsistent part but fares less well. Molly wants to be a combination of Forrest Gump and Flowers for Algernon, movies about discovering the meaning of life through an appreciation of simple things, but falls short. --Bret Fetzer
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