Excellent movie exploring families with a child who is "different" in some way. Profoundly moving and complicated, even uplifting. Makes me want to read Solomon's book.

Documentary about families with kids that are 'different,' based on the book by the same name. Issues include autism, down's syndrome, a dwarf, and a child killer. The author is gay, and used that issue and his family reaction as the springboard to examine other families with 'different' children. I saw this at a proper theater and it was pretty good, but in a PBS documentary kind of way, and did not stand up as a feature.

I attended a preview of this film in Manhattan last night. "Far From the Tree" moved me more than anything I've experienced in years. It tells the private stories of several individuals and their families facing differing adversities and challenges outside of the stream of "normal" life. In addition to unfolding the complexities and ambiguities of parental hopes, fears, dreams and expectations for our children, it says so much about moral, ethical, familial, tribal, genetic, medical, and psychological aspects of being the communal primates we are. It honors and illuminates the dignity and perhaps even the divinity within us all, regardless of our differences, capabilities or disabilities. This is a brilliant jewel of a film, a beautifully crafted work of reality art, that opens the heart to the reality that we are all vulnerable and imperfect and connected to each other all the more because of that. The way the filmmakers have woven the different stories together and edited this movie is a wonder. Nobody who knows me would ever characterize me as a softy or sucker for identity politics or topical issues. This film transcends any of that and it went straight to my heart and my brain. It's a powerful, intelligent, careful, and courageous effort. As ending credits rolled and the theater lights brightened I thought to myself, another title for it could be, "We Am Human." Go see it.