Kristinartist79 Review of The Memory Keeper's Daughter

The Memory Keeper's Daughter (2008 TV Movie)

good movie, could have been better

[7/10 · 18 March 2010]

spoilers for movie and book They changed a lot from the book, but it was a good movie. They changed the way Norah learned about her daughter except that she found out after David passed away. Also, in the movie, they ended it after Norah and her son met the daughter, and there was nothing to indicate that she would still have a relationship with her mother and trin, whereas in the book they went on after they met, and even though Norah was living in Europe, without her daughter (who understandably did not want to move to Europe with her) she was still going to visit her and be a part of her life. (Don't forget they they could afford to fly her to visit regularly). And her bother moved close by to his sister. I guess the movie had to edit a lot, but the ending was unemotional; it was just like they met, excepted it and it was over; I mean I guess they figured it was implied that she would be a part of their life after that. In the movie, Carolyn's husband seemed more loving; I didn't really like his character in the book, pushing Carolyn into putting her daughter in a group home, before they were both ready because he didn't want to have the responsibility of raising her anymore. Sure he was right, but he was just too insensitive about it; he never once said that he would miss her or that they could still be a part of her life. He did address the issue of her moving into a group home, but he was kinder about it; he wasn't all, I want to travel the world and leave her in a home. The story line was a valuable lesson about how a decision made at a spur of the moment could ruin the life of yourself and the people around you. They portrayed David as a decent man who made a very bad decision that ruined his families life and could have ruined Pheabes life. Sure Carolyn's taking the baby might not have been purely a selfless act, as she really wanted a baby, but her life was a lot better because of her love for that baby. She could not hold the baby in her arms and leave her in that horrible place, which showed her kindness and love for that child. Sure, she could have told Norah who probably would have kept the baby, but she was caught in the middle and also, she did not know what the end results of that would be. So while she might not have been totally selfless, she obviously had the child's best interest at heart. The fact that she loved David might have influenced her to want to help him, but in the end, she did what was best for the baby. In the movie, David seemed to barely notice her. Actually in the book they implied that he did show some interest in her, but never acted upon it and it was never explained why and why he chose Norah instead of her. The movie does not even get that the fact that Carolyn loved David, just that one part where she told him he loved her, during that interaction where he was just insensitive saying, "What did I have to do with that?" In the book he was more sensitive and kind about the issue. They also addressed the issue of people with Down Syndrome getting married, but I felt they were too one sided on the issue; they just showed Carolyn say no and ended it from there, I felt it should have been more controversial. I mean Carolyn did a great job raising Pheabe to be independent and smart, but it seemed she did not have any confidence in her, maybe she was overprotective because she loved her. When Carolyn was saying she would be raising another baby if her daughter had a child, it seemed to me like she was not giving her any credit (or herself credit for how well she raised her daughter). People with mild mental retardation are able to get married and sometimes raise a child, often better than people without a disability.