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The New Movie Parents Hate
Melissa Fay Greene is the author, most recently, of There is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Save her Country's Children, and she is the mother of nine, five of whom joined the family at older ages from orphanages in Bulgaria and Ethiopia. Visit her online at www.thereisnomewithoutyou.com
Warner Bros.
Orphan, a new thriller about a demonic adopted child, has enraged adoptive parents who are calling for a boycott. Melissa Faye Greene—mother of five orphaned kids—on Warner Brothers’ summer misfire.
Warner Brothers’ latest horror movie, called Orphan, is scaring the bejabbers out of thousands of Americans well in advance of its July 24 debut.
The posters display the single word OrPHAN, scrawled in red over black in that font we all recognize as the favorite of kidnappers, assassins, and sociopaths. The movie trailers, already in theaters and on TV, include the ominous line: “It must be difficult to love an adopted child as much as your own.”
“Older children from orphanages are incapable of love!” you are warned. “They set fires! They hoard food! They kill pets! Beware!”
Truly horrified—not happily, screamingly horrified, not throwing-the-popcorn-and-hugging-your-date and getting-what-you-paid-for horrified, but horrified at the callousness of Warner Brothers—adoptive and foster parents and others concerned with the fragile welfare of the world’s most vulnerable citizens are calling for a boycott of the movie.
None of them have seen it yet, though some have tried. (Two screenings in New York were canceled.) But when a movie’s trailers are this offensive, it’s hard to imagine the feature-length version will lighten anyone’s mood. It’s difficult to love Warner Brothers as much as you love your own children by adoption.
In the trailers, we learn that an affluent white American couple with two cute biological children are grieving a miscarriage when they decide to adopt an older child, a black-haired thick-browed creepy 9-year-old girl of obscure provenance named Esther. They drive to an old-fashioned orphanage (what year is this?), talk to a nun (what year is this?), and then leave with a 9-year-old Russian girl who lives there for some reason.
There’s no hint that parents actually spend months and years on legal work, social work, background checks, home visits, and courtroom appearances in order to adopt a child. The trailer gives the impression that any couple with a yen for “a replacement child” (as this psychologically unhealthy practice is known) can stroll into an orphanage, pick one out, and take her home.
Even Humane Societies have an application process before handing out kittens and puppies. Even civic groups who want to “Adopt a Highway” fill out a few forms first.
Almost immediately it becomes clear that Kate and John have not brought home a sweet little girl but have introduced into their family a mythic amalgam of Rosemary’s Baby, The Bad Seed, Grendel, and the shark from Jaws. Pure evil has appeared in this upscale family home, and you can tell it’s pure evil because of that scary font, the disturbing soundtrack, that black hair, and the fact that she’s a Russian orphan adopted as an older child. Can it get scarier than that?
Grassroots protests began against the film’s PR campaign. Protesters include parents of older children adopted from foreign orphanages, aware that their own children waited a long time for families because most prospective parents are looking for healthy babies to adopt. Protesters include people who believe that TV newsmagazines and sensationalistic reports have demonized orphanage children from Eastern Europe enough already and that OrPHAN is just piling on.
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oregonlisa
I couldn't agree more. This is socially irresponsible. I wish everyone involved in this movie bad juju.
fathmom
I agree with you! If the target was a race or a lifestyle, it would have HUGE public outcry, and probably be banned before it opens. We all act upon our fears. This movie not only plants a seed of doubt, but feeds it as well. I am not one for governmental involvement, but i would love for the public outcry to be enough to make this movie disappear into oblivion. Poor choice by Warner Bros.
Beterri
I would also like to point out how many NON-adoptive children can have psychopathic tendencies.......but you don't see this pointed out in movies.......instead they focus on the person, not whether or not the person is biologically related to his/her victims.
Recently I've heard the trailer (I think it was added in) say that the girl wasn't from the orphanage that the family went to -- so she wasn't available there for adoption..............even though it's added this, the movie still disturbs me IMMENSELY. I am a proud adoptive parent of a beautiful girl from Russia and hope that she NEVER sees anything about this movie. I think just seeing the trailer would devastate her and make her feel less about herself.............as she might think that everyone thinks this of all Russian adoptive children...........which is totally false.
I believe that this movie not only needs to be boycotted, but that we need to somehow bring discrimination charges against the writers.............if it were about a gay/lesbian (or another "minority") child acting out, you know that there would be TONS of issues. Why should the adoptive community and it's children be any different in wanting others to see us as perfectly "normal" within the community. Making us, or our children, out to be any less is discrimination.
Chevalier1972
Generally speaking, I see your points about the insensitivity issue regarding orphans. Hollywood still makes a fortune off stereotyping and insult humor and exploiting the weak. However, I didn't really find any issue with this movie with regards to orphans. After seeing the movie a second time, I stopped seeing "Orphan" as a movie about a killer orphan. Maybe the poster suggest that;maybe that's what this controversy is about; maybe most people looking for escapism see the movie this way. I saw "Orphan" as a story about someone who wants to love and reacts violently when faced with the reality that it won't happen. I believe most criminal acts come from being born into a problematic life and not thinking to deal with it positively or with resolve to right the wrong. So, this movie reflects that criminal mindset. (I also saw this movie as a bit of a metaphor for the Cold War). In sum, this is a story about a mother and adoptive daughter who thirst for love but cannot fulfill it due to socio-economic entanglements beyond their control. Of course, this conflict is exaggerated into a conventional horror plot. The movie is far from perfect and has a lot of far-fetched plot points (as the article suggests). But it's an original story with a good surprise ending. I recomment seeing it despite the controversy. If you look behind the orphan issue and the typical Hollywood theatrics, there's a rather profound tale told in "Orphan."
cregis
It's only a movie.
IJamesB
What dumb PC article. Trite. Unintelligent and dumb. A horror movie based on stereotype? What a shock!!
Please tell me other people understand what an insult to intelligence thinking like this is.
What's next? Jaws gets sued for giving beaches and fish a bad name?
I hope Warner Bros NEVER considers what some tiny segment of the population is going to be ridiculously oversensitive about and makes artistic decisions based on possible hurt feelings by people WHO HAVEN'T WATCHED THE MOVIE.
It's a movie. That you haven't watched yet. Get over it.
ger2trip4us
Comparing JAWS to an adopted child only shows how truly clueless you are. My son, was born in a former Soviet Union country, but first and foremost is my son. Adoption was only the tool to make us a family.
cellen51
The, "It's just a movie" line of thinking seems a little overly-simplistic and an excuse to avoid critically examining the objections raised by Ms. Greene.
Do I agree with every concern raised by Ms. Greene? No. But as the parent of an adopted child, I do have concerns pertaining to the basic premise of the movie. As a society, shouldn't we stand up and protect the most vulnerable and hurt among us? And would orphans not qualify as such? I can think of few things more traumatizing to a child than losing their parents. A movie that further seeks to make millions of dollars by playing to existing negative stereotypes, thus further stigmatizing (even if unintentionally) an already distressed group of children should, in my opinion, be held up for examination and criticism.
And, no, I haven't seen the movie yet. But I don't think that really matters. The marketing campaign alone lays the groundwork for some very valid concerns.
sophia5
What orphan doesn't possess evil supernatural powers
capable of destroying other people's lives through mental telepathy ?
The only thing scarier than the
FICTIONAL CHARACTER in this FICTIONAL MOVIE,
are the " REAL " people who take this stuff seriously.
These are frightening politically correct activists.
The same people who demand teachers use " PURPLE "
correction ink on student papers, because the color
" RED " is too severe and might hurt the child's feelings.
The same people who suggest all children,
winners and losers get a trophy, because we wouldn't
want to hurt the "LOSERS" feelings.
These are the same people who want to raise the curve on school
grading systems so more students " feel better, " while their
counterparts in China and India go through grueling
education systems.
So in twenty years when your UNDER achieving children
" FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES, " they will all be working for
executives from China and India, because you wanted to
be " SENSITIVE. "
Would the columnist protest the
Disney Classic " Snow White, "
because Snow White's Step Mother
plotted to stab Snow to death, cut out her heart,
and bring her heart back in a jewel box as verification ?
Thank God politically correct activists weren't around when
Walt Disney was making classic animation.
Could anyone imagine the uproar, and the pressure for Disney
to appease politically correct activists, who just might
suggest that Walt Disney himself attend some " SENSITIVITY " training.
The only thing scarier than the orphan FICTIONAL CHARACTER
in this movie, are the " REAL " PEOPLE who take
this stuff seriously. The Artistic Expression Police ?
lvglvk
James....not so smart. Of course movies impact our culture, way of thinking, spirit, attitudes and heart.IT is not just a movie. It is a way of thinking. I am sad to say the only trite, unintelligent and no so smart element of this article is your comment.
Grow up a little, have children, become a caring human being and perhaps your attitude will change.
jwrr24
Why is the comparison to Jaws an unacceptable counterargument, when in the article itself the writer compares the situation to a film about dogs? --
"Dog lovers (of which I am also one) wouldn't stand for a movie like this. What if last summer's hit, Marley & Me, had been a horror flick called SHeLTeR Dog, in which a rescued Golden Retriever turns out to be Satan's spawn, mutilating Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson with bloody pointed teeth and tearing apart their baby? Animal lovers everywhere would have been up in arms, fearing that such myth-making could actually scare people away from taking in shelter dogs."
People who are dumb enough to be scared of adopting a child because of a second-rate horror movie are unfit to be parents anyway. Nobody complained that Friday the 13th would discourage kids from going to summer camp. Nobody complained that A Nightmare on Elm Street would discourage people from sleeping. Get a grip.
DBiroc
Didn't they already make a movie about a bad dog and name it Cujo? Did people stop buying dogs? This woman's just like anyone else with a hidden resentment or someone who wants to be a martyr for her cause. She's just been waiting for something to give her a reason to share it publicly and make a big deal where there isn't one. If people can't understand it's a movie, movies are fiction, and that orphans aren't like Esther, should they be adopting children anyway??
like-mind
Life imitates Art. Y'all Duke of Hazard.
MaliciousDisorder
It's been done already. The Good Son staring that home alone kid.
Hollywood's such a loser when it comes to ideas
collinjchang
John & Kate plus Hate???
doug-c
Lmao. What a coincidence.
dlc1550
"The posters display the single word OrPHAN, scrawled in red over black in that font we all recognize as the favorite of kidnappers, assassins, and sociopaths. "
Hey Melissa - please tell me EXACTLY which font you are refering to?
Cymatic
I don't know. As a child, I was scared for years to swim in the ocean after seeing Jaws. Even though I knew it was ridiculous, it still was hard to shake. It's really hard to find homes for older children because people are scared their adopted child will be a nightmare. Having a movie stigmatizing orphans does seem in really bad taste. Of course, bad taste has never stopped people before...
Weaver
Sounds like a modern take on the classic, "The Bad Seed."
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dphendri
The author is correct. All explorations of atavism must be banned post haste. The fact that none of us has actually seen the film be damned. Ms. Greene, I nominate you as the Minister of Culture.
Yes, I have this power and you should accept. You would have to deem all forms of art, speech, and expression to be culturally acceptable prior to promulgation. Join me Ms Greene, I am the law!
BTW, the "Marley and Me" analysis was the best thing I have ever read! You are a genius!
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dphendri
Damn you, Ms. Greene!
You inspired me to wirte the next great horror film. You know, about a dog that is evil and targets a family? Because it has never been done before and knee-jerk, "who will think of the children?," reactionaries would give me all the publicity I'd need?
Anyhoo, I was just finishing scene one when an orderly here told me that such a film has been made. Based off a book to boot. By a pretty famous author as well.
Damn you, you trickster! I just waste all of my day's rec time.
whipmawhopma
dphendri - Since that story is shot down how about a story about a woman named Melizza, who stalks families that just have adopted a child, bombarding them with warnings about the demon seed spawn, making the parents so hyper alert to everything that they confuse the normal disobedience and irresponsibility of their adopted child with an agenda that could have only come from Satan himself?
The climax will come when the parents are just about to stab their adopted rug rat with the Seven Daggers of Doctor Dobson, with Hillary Clinton making a cameo appearance to stop them, instead giving them a copy of It Takes a Village to Raise a Child, so they move to the West Village.
cbl99201
LOL dphendri, that's good :>))
Helenann
LOL--the book could be called, "Snarly and Me..." He was a bad dog, and he had. no. CODE!!!!
whipmawhopma
I have three stepchildren, including a 36 year old ne'er do well recovering alcoholic stepdaughter with post traumatic stress syndrome issues leftover from her amazingly bad biological father.
If only Warner Brothers had made a movie way back when warning of the dangers of stepchildren. Perhaps I would have been spared all the horror.
ihatepickingusernames
Does the advertised plot of this movie remind anyone else of "The Good Son" with Macaulay Culkin? From the trailer alone it looks like they just remade that movie, except with the evil child being an orphan [in some occult situation?] instead of a biological son.
I enjoyed reading your article Ms. Greene and point well taken (I thought many of those things myself when I first saw the trailer), but I would be surprised if anyone who is affluent, good hearted and diligent enough to adopt would be phased by this movie.
SuperGrover
From the plot description it seems that the movie intends to resonate with xenophobic fears in general. Fear of allowing something foreign and destructive inside any group: family, community, company, country, ...The one that resonates the strongest these days is xenophobic fears of illegal immigrants. This is a horror movie after all. So, if the movie is scary and not ridiculous, ask yourself... what am I afraid of?
Also, as an adoptee myself, I declare myself Special Expert and state for the record: I am officially miffed.
hithere3
I predict the sequel will be titled, "Adoptive Parent," about a demonic adoptive parent.
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hithere3
Well, originality is not one of Hollywood's fortes.
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bryterlayter
I hate to pile on, but 1) The killer dog movie has been made: Kujo. I don't think people have been selling off their dogs in the decades since. Nice try for an analogy though.
2) By 'boycotting' this film, you're only raising its profile and making people curious about it. Almost every time a movie gets 'boycotted' it ends up making more money than it would have if you had ignored it.
Personally, this movie looks terrible, so I won't see it. You should really just let it go out there and bomb on its own.
I think adoption is a wonderful thing, and I have adopted friends and family who are wonderful, normal healthy people. I don't think anyone at WB would disagree.
Is it an insensitive ad campaign? Yes. Movie? Probably. But just let it go and be forgotten along with all the other lazy horror movies of the last several years.
essgeeess
You adopted your friends? Cool!
knockoutx
Any parents who allow their decision to adopt a child be swayed by a horror movie are too stupid to be parents in the first place.
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