LOSING ISAIAH

US, 1996, 111 minutes, Colour.
Jessica Lange, Halle Berry, David Strathairn, Samuel L. Jackson, Regina Taylor, Marc John Jeffries, La Tanya Richardson, Jacqueline Brookes.
Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal.

Losing Isaiah deals with stories and issues that are in the news and the stuff of American telemovies: a mother hooked on drugs, abandoning her child and the process of its adoption - with the birth mother then reclaiming the child. But it is stronger than the usual telemovie.

The cast and the acting are a strong plus. Jessica Lange’s role is more straightforward but she is nevertheless a powerful presence. Halle Berry is good as the birth mother.

The parent/child issue is strong enough, but the abandoned baby is black and the adopting parents are white, Lange and David Strathairn, who also have a teenage daughter. Racial issues are challenging and challengingly presented. Legal arguments are raised, especially in the character played by Samuel L. Jackson. But, of course, the film works on an emotional level and makes demands on the audience on how it would resolve the impasse of two mothers loving a child.

1. Issues of adoption, birth mothers, the law, justice?

2. The city of Chicago, affluent, homes, crack houses, apartment buildings, hospitals, courts?

3. The tone of the film? The quotation from the prophet Isaiah: and a little child will lead them?

4. Khailla, addiction, age, the baby, the need of a fix? The others in the house? Her mental condition, emotion, taking Isaiah out to the garbage, in the box,
collected and put in the truck, crying, heard and saved?

5. Khailla taken to prison, the other women in rehab, the focus on each of them, their course, the challenge, clean after the course? Two years? Learning
to read? Her coach, her spurning the book, reading it and weeping? The news that Isaiah was alive? The effect on her?

6. The baby, rescued, in hospital, the effects of the addiction, its life in danger, the operations, the cynical doctpor and his pessimism? Margaret, her work
in hospital, social work, concern about the child, nursing it, becoming attached to it?

7. Her home, relationship with Charles, his support of her? Tensions between them, the later revelation of the affair with the assistant? Phone calls and
work? At home, Hannah, her age, a teenager, on the phone, calling her mother a jerk? Yet her love for her parents?

8. Margaret and a growing attachment, the baby at home, Charles and his care? Hannah and her liking the child? Adoption, the process, the judgment, happiness at home? Hannah’s playing with child? The child being loved? Growing up, talking, Hannah? Going to the play, Hannah and her being upset,
Isaiah calling out her name, his crying at the sound of the cymbal?

9. Khailla, her going to see Lewis, his skills as a lawyer, talking with her, the odds of her getting her child back? Her rights, her needs? His personality, pro bono, donations?

10. Eddie Hughes, a neighbour, attracted to Khailla, her resisting him, the apartment, helping her, the other children, buying the TV, setting it up? The discovery that he was married, his embarrassment, separation, his finally telling her that he was filing for divorce?

11. Lewis and making sure that Khailla presented in the best possible way? The new apartment, the grant, financial assistance, the furniture, the window open to see her child, her job, caring for the trial, going to the park, following Isaiah, the play and the park? The physical makeover, make-up, clothes?

12. Margaret, her shock at the letter, anxious, going to the black lawyer, her comments about association with African-Americans?

13. The court sequences, Lewis, tough in interrogation, the role of the judge, allowing questions to be asked? White families and having black guests or not?

14. Reading African- American books to black children? Other racial themes? Hannah and Isaiah comparing hands, noting small rather than black? The expose a Charles and his affair? The effect on Margaret? Yet their prevailing love?

15. Margaret the only person to raise the issue of love in court?

16. The family and lawyers interrogation of Khailla, the possibility of a relapse, her responsibilities?

17. The judge, hearing the case, her decisions, her reasons?

18. Margaret and her being upset, coaxing Isaiah and preparing him to leave, giving him the memento, the baby being snatched by the social worker?

19. Khailla, receiving the baby, her happiness, bring it home, it not reacting well with the other children, crying, school and sullen, refusing to eat? Khailla and her inability to persuade Isaiah?

20. Her phone call to Margaret, Margaret coming to meet her, the two women with the child, my group being able to offer her a him a home and love, not excluding Khailla?

21. A realistic ending? A good ending? The