The Face on the Milk Carton (1995 TV Movie) User Reviews

a film that gives you something to think about

[wishuponstar · 7/10 · 3 December 1999]

The movie starts like a sort of mystery/thriller,when Janie pursues the truth about her past. Along the middle we find out what has happened to her and the movie changes into a human drama. I could really identify with Janie here, putting myself in her shoes. How she copes with the very sudden changes in her life really made me think about parents and family relations.

Kellie Martin(Janie) gave a fine performance.Very much recommended.:)

A really good TV movie

[KAnnD86 · 5 October 2002]

I hate to write "A really good TV movie" as my summary title, but that is really the only way I can describe "The Face On The Milk Carton". I have seen it many times and loved it each and every one.

This movie is based on the first two novels of the 4 novel series by Caroline B. Cooney. I have read every one. Although the movie changes a lot of details and characters, (most likely due to lack of time) the movie captures the true essence of the books.

Janie Johnson sees a photo of a missing girl on the back of a milk carton and suspects that it is her. The first half of the movie is based on the first novel entitled "Face on the Milk Carton". It is about how Janie deals with the prospect that she was kidnapped and how to accept that her "parents" may not really be her parents. The second half is based on "Whatever Happened to Janie?". Janie discovers that she is actually Jennie Spring and that she belongs with her real family in another state. All throughout these events, she is supported by her friends and her boyfriend Reeve.

All of the acting by this wonderful cast is as good as it gets. Kelly Martin has since become one of my favorite actresses.

I won't give any more information away about this movie. I hope you will see it for yourself. I have frequently seen it on ABC Family Network. "Face on the Milk Carton" is an excellent movie. I think you will enjoy it as much as I do. I also suggest reading the books. They are aimed towards teenagers, but anyone can relate to the characters in both the books and the movie.

Kellie Martin Shines !

[aesgaard41 · 10/10 · 11 January 2001]

I saw this on Lifetime sometime after it had originally aired and it dawned on me on whether or not this girl's decision would have been as difficult had this been about a girl who had been adopted and then had found her birth parents. It also could have been a much different flick if she had appeared to the Sands (her biological parents) after having been married and expecting. Kellie Martin plays an incredible role alledgedly based on a true story and gives a real performance with a lot of emotion than the usual shallow fare seen by so many teenage actors. A lot of credit has to go to the actors portraying the Sands and the Jessmons for providing Kellie a stoic and emotional base to create her role. The story of Solomon's tale of the the mothers is used as a wonderfully inspiring parallel and the dreamy flashbacks of the girl's hazy flashbacks of being kidnapped. This is a wonderful movie to make any parent pull their kids tighter, but watch the hands when you hug your teenage daughter!

Laughably bad...

[dmcat12 · 1/10 · 29 April 2012]

The writer and author didn't have the slightest clue about the subject matter involved. Or genetics, for that matter. A little bit of research about child custody, sociology or the judicial process would have helped. Nobody in the process whatsoever thought a counselor might be brought in at any stage? Not with either set of parents? Not involved with the transition? Not at the school? There's a trope called "Did Not Do the Research" that they ran into the ground here and the story suffers and leads to every single moment where you found yourself banging your head against the table at the sheer stupidity of the characters involved. Ironic that ABC Family showed this since it highlights how much better, more realistic and with greater respect the subject matter is treated by their show Switched at Birth. I can't believe the studio didn't laugh this movie into the trashcan.

The Sequel to If Someone Had Known

[wilsonandrewc · 10/10 · 20 April 2018]

On May 24, 1995 which was 3 weeks and 2 days after May 1, 1995 when she shot her abusive husband dead, Goofy's son, Max's girlfriend, Roxanne from A Goofy Movie/Mona from the Christmas Maximus segment of Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas (played by Kellie Martin) who stabbed a cheerleader to death gets screwed over AGAIN when she sees a picture of herself at age 3 on the back of a milk carton lol

An Embarrassment....

[arorashadow_2003 · 4/10 · 28 July 2004]

When they played The Face on the Milk Carrton on TV I was rather excited, reading the books and all. But I saw an awfully done job. First of all, all of the names were changed, from the original book version, which I hate.

Second, many key parts were cut from the book. Another thing is, they combined Book One and Two together, (Book two, being in the lat hour of the film)which I think ruins the series. The acting was fine however. The direction and visuals were fine, but still, I have never seen a more poor adaption than this. I could do better than that with two-three hours. Not to mention I wouldn't combine Books One and Two together, crammed into a two hour movie.

Read the books they are so much better

Decent movie of the week

[Monika-5 · 9 October 2000]

Kellie Martin plays a girl who sees her face (a baby photo) on the back of a milk carton, and finds out about her mysterious past. It's a good movie, but the book series by Caroline Cooney is much better. They are more mysterious with more attention paid to detail. Of course, they had to cram in two books' worth of material into an hour and a half movie. And for some reason, the characters' names are different in the movie than in the books and some characters are changed or left out altogether. It's good time filler, with strong performances by Kellie Martin, Sharon Lawrence and Jill Clayburgh especially.

Great Story!

[mammamia701 · 9/10 · 29 June 2020]

I loved this movie! I recall reading the story in a magazine. I thought this was a true story....until today after reading the reviews! I honestly thought it was true, a girl sees herself on a milk carton, discovers she's adopted and has flashes of memories from early childhood. Now I don't know what to think! Lol

Either way, this is a terrific movie, and the acting is well done. I guess I can still believe that perhaps, somewhere, this is a true story for a missing child...that he/she recognizes themselves and finds their way back to the family taken from. What a horrible dilemma to be in! All involved suffer. Yet they are all family to the missing child.

The face of the milk carton

[LindsayNshelva · 10/10 · 9 August 2020]

This is my all-time favorite lifetime movie when you watch it I hope you enjoy it this is a really good movie so when you get a chance please watch it

not as good as the book, but not a bad adaptation

[socalichic4eva · 21 July 2002]

I may be a bit biased, since the book has always been one of my favorites, but many little descrepencies between the book and movie bugged me. Although Kellie Martin is a great actress, she was way too old to be Janie! She was 20, whereas Janie is supposed to be barely 16! Reese is supposed to be older, more mature, and he looks 3 years younger! Especially since it had to be packed into two hours, everything was rushed, and neither set of parents' characters were developed, nor did the relationship between Janie and Reese seem believable.

I don't think there was enough background in the family relationships to make it a tear-jerker, but over-all, despite the little mistakes, it was a good TV movie. 7/10

Is this fiction or nonfiction?

[peter0877 · 9/10 · 7 January 2006]

I have just finished reading the first three books and have started the final book out of this series. The Face on the Milk Carton was a movie that I remember seeing about ten years ago. I thought that it was a true story. Is it or isn't it? I am reading conflicting stories on this matter. I would also like to see the movie again? Does anyone know if they sell this on VHS or DVD? I cannot seem to locate a copy anywhere. Do they air this on TV still? For those of you who have not read the books, they are page-turners and you will not be able to put them down until finished. The first and second books were the best: The Face on the Milk Carton and Whatever Happened to Janie?.

Interesting movie about a girl

[Moraith · 10/10 · 26 September 1998]

Kellie Martin's great role in this movie is the guarantee for good entertainment. A lot of emotion and basic human questions about the parents-children relation. Did you know that Kellie Martin is a skilled soccer player? :-)

GREAT!!

[kelley28 · 21 June 2002]

This movie was fantastic! Could have followed the book a little better, but all-in-all, it was a great adaptation. A must see. You might want to watch the movie first then read the books. The sequel was also part of this movie. (Whatever Happened to Janie?) Kellie Martin was fantastic as Janie. I couldn't have picked a better actress for the role.

Read the wonderful book!

[amytaesook · 11 September 2003]

You really have to read the book to understand why hair color was so important to this story. The four fiction books are not based on a true story. In the storyline, the unique red hair color was the link that connected Janie to her biological family. The movie was excellent although the movie combined the first two books. There have since been two more stories; a total of four books exist in this series. They are terrific books.

not a bad movie

[mattkratz · 22 December 2003]

I liked the books by Caroline B. Cooney better, but the movie wasn't bad. It was actually quite enjoyable as a girl sees herself as a kidnap victim on the back of a milk carton and sets out to find her real family and unlock the secrets of her past. I liked it. Read the books and see the movie, and decide which you like better. I enjoyed them both. I thought the casting was great and the situation very intense and suspenseful, making you think, "What if?"

*** out of ****

enjoyable

[cjdiamond · 7 October 2003]

I have also seen this movie several times and I really enjoyed it each time I watched it. I have to say that to those who may not be paying attention, that one may become confused at the plot. I enjoy all the actors and actresses within this movie and think that it is a quality television movie that is worth watching each time it comes on Lifetime.

Like an after-school special

[raisleygordon · 10 April 2011]

"Face On The Milk Carton" is a very interesting and effective movie with yet another great performance (at least of the ones I've seen anyway) by Kellie Martin, who apparently has retired from acting. It looks like an after-school special, but unlike one, there are no easy answers (except maybe for the final scenes). It doesn't patronize, or try too little or too much, and has characters we truly care about. I would have preferred a different ending. Why? The movie, of course, eventually wants to have it both ways by the end (or should I say, both families?) I think this taking the easy way out. But still, the movie is acceptable as is.

Grade: B+

AWESOME

[ILUVTM4EVA · 14 April 2000]

This movie is about a girl who is at lunch one day and she sees this little girl on her friends milk carton. She looks at it for a long time and she thinks that its her. She brings it home and shows it to her parents who then tell her that they are her grandparents and that their daughter left her there with them. I think that this movie was really good and i recommend it to everyone.