Found (I) (2021) User Reviews

Good Watch

[kupukupumu · 8/10 · 20 October 2021]

Watched this on Netflix just now and I found this documentary has many angles.

The documentary tells about the One Child Policy in China that left many babies stranded and given away by poor families and how many many years later three girls who were adopted by American parents trying to find their biological parents in China.

The documentary invokes questions about the policy itself. On one side it was a bit harsh since poor family that could not afford to pay the fine of USD8,500 must give away their child(ren). On the other side, had China not adopted this policy, could China who were a poor country rise to be the economic power today?

The documentary also tells about human nature in general: all parents love their kids, adopted or not, no matter where you come from.

The documentary also shows that people are at the core all the same. Thus, all the current conflicts are pointless and stupid, fired by those with political hunger and ambition.

Again, this documentary tells much more than just the journey and effort of the three girls trying to find their biological parents.

Oh, like any movie today, it has a plot twist.

Respectfully told....not exploitive.

[cindyrellaexists · 7/10 · 16 November 2021]

Well done with respect for all involved. The film kept the true human element rather than making it some horrific grandiose event. Yes it's sad for all involved when babies had to be abandoned but the focus stayed on how well things can turn out if people step up to care.

Wonderful documentary

[monafre · 8/10 · 1 November 2021]

I enjoyed the documentary. The fact that they didn't find their biological parents (yet) but the search was still successful because a different girl found her mother through their DNA testing was maybe bittersweet but also confirmed what some of the documentary hinted at the entire time, that some connections are fate.

What is a family?

[srooks1 · 10/10 · 28 October 2021]

Three young women adopted as babies from China go on a journey to discover their roots. For them, it is a journey of self-discovery to find out who and what make up a family. They also discover a people who are not the stereotypes that media and politics would have us believe. This film is a journey into the heart. It is simply done, yet poweful.

I loved this

[restingnurseface · 10/10 · 23 October 2021]

My husband and I just finished the movie. It is such an emotional journey. I really feel like I learned a lot, and the telling of all the different sides of the stories was so well done. Thank you to the girls, families and genealogist for bringing us along for the ride. The nannies in China are rock stars. I hope at some point there will be updates that you can let us in on. Thank you.

A great found indeed

[suhakri · 7/10 · 6 November 2021]

A very well made documentary with a very good perspective. Even tho at the end non of the 3 girls found their match, but the trip especially the last visit to the potential family where the father is so sad that it was not a match, become the eye opener for other girl who have always wonder why they was given up. Because they now can see the other side of their story from the family who were forced to given up their child due to one child policy. None of the potential parent want to give up their children (aside from the liu's father), all they want to know is whether their daughters are doing ok. And the nanny, their dedication were really underappreciated. And amazingly how they remember each of the girl's story when they were still in the orphanage

kinda tear jerker i wold say.

Fairly heartbreaking

[pali-282-38707 · 9/10 · 26 October 2021]

I felt for everyone in this and I preferred that it was not broken up into a set of episodes.

Towards the end I really felt for the family and the fathers reaction when he was told it wasn't a match.

Great documentary

[haydenbrown-24374 · 10/10 · 30 October 2021]

Great documentary Was in tears most of the movie Really makes you think I felt for the parents that adopted I felt for the girls that were adopted I felt for the biological parents

Made you think about alot of things.

Very good - spoilers

[chriscupo · 10/10 · 31 October 2021]

This was a very good documentary about three young women who were adopted from China during the one child policy during that time period and their journey to locate their biological parents in China. Their adoptive parents are truly wonderful and the woman who helps them is remarkable. You experience their hopes, joy and sadness. The one thing I learned that at the point the documentary was done, none of the women had found their parents but they found each other and maybe that is the point of it. I would love to see an update of their stories.

Oh

[DVK1234 · 5/10 · 25 October 2021]

So the title is "Found" but the reality is that the three adopted girls have not found their biological parents. Yes, it is nice that they found each other through DNA tests. They also found their nannies. They didn't, unfortunately, find their biological parents. I'm not sure I would have watched from the outset had I been provided with this information.

Lovely

[jahaugh · 9/10 · 16 November 2021]

I needed a good, heartfelt, sincere documentary about good people, and this delivered. Other reviews so far have mentioned the compassion of the aunties / nannies, which is absolutely true, but I have to give a big shout-out to Liu Hao, the genealogy researcher who made herself vulnerable and cared deeply about all parties who wound up in these circumstances. She is the nucleus of a very emotional process for everyone.

Outstanding with Respect and Dignity

[ymschwartzman · 10/10 · 14 November 2021]

The movie is about the personal search of three independent girls. They are Asian, born in China and adopted by non-Asian American families.

It is done with respect and dignity. It is highly emotional. We learn how to empathize with the unknown birth parents. We learn how to honor and love the caregivers from the orphanage. We learn how to accept our 'fate' in life. The adoptive families are open, honest and caring. The girls are all well adjusted and brought up with much respect for all.

What I absolutely loved about the film was that it focuses on the caring side. It focuses on the compassion side. It avoids damning the Chinese government or the birth parents. Rather, it identifies the incredible difficult time period of the one child law. Even the cultural 'anti-girl' sentiment was treated with high respect and understanding.

I encourage any children to see this. It teaches about love and family from a healthy positive outlook.

My OUTSTANDING compliments to Netflix for a PHENOMENAL MOVIE.

Fascinating

[pik923 · 9/10 · 19 May 2022]

Hope they do a follow up on this story of three cousins their families their lives and the beautiful Chinese woman who so helped them

I don't want to give anything away

Watch it just lovely.

One of the best documentaries ever!!

[snperera · 9/10 · 3 December 2021]

This documentary! Wow! What to even say!! It is so heartbreaking and hopeful and warm and shows the realities of what it is like to be adopted from another country. I feel like some people, myself included(in the past) thought how great and beautiful adoption and a happy ending, but did not realize of the trauma and struggles and pain that the adoptees have to go through. This documentary is so powerful and beautiful!

Nice twist at the end

[arnoldpoon · 8/10 · 4 November 2021]

Despite the unmatched results, every one did a great job. Props to the DNA database because it helped another girl reuniting with her birth mother (or at least knowing each other's existence). The nannies deserve the greatest credit for all the sweats and tears poured in taking care thousands of babies, and being able to recount their early months, if not years! There's not nothing more touching in the world than discovering your "lost past". It'd be nicer if this had been made into a series, which could potentially help fund the genealogist's work. She seems so devoted.

Doesn't explain anything

[truebatmantd · 2/10 · 17 March 2024]

This documentary says that 3 girls adopted from China were able to locate each other using a DNA testing website called 23andMe but it makes no sense because 23andMe is not a social network and it doesn't connect people like that. It's simply a service where you send a DNA sample and it tells you what your likely nationality is and what genetic health problems you might see in the future. There is nothing in this service that tell you who your family members might be or where they might be located because it's not a service like that.

So basically the documentary fails to actually explain how these people found each other, that's if it's even based on a true story which I am almost sure it isn't.

Beautiful Story

[Kperez00 · 10/10 · 19 November 2021]

This was a beautifully told story. I enjoyed their journey and learned so much from these girls. Probably the best part was watching them grown and develop as a support system. All four are amazing young women!

Raw, unfiltered footage of both sides of adoption

[littletiggermom · 9/10 · 10 April 2022]

This documentary does a good job of portraying the difficulties and confusion/pain of adoption from both ends.

Some movies and shows depict giving up babies/girls for adoption in China back during the one-child policy era as a symptom of parents who simply wanted boys. This documentary actually showed the real pain and guilt parents felt in giving up their babies.

And the world keeps getting smaller - as a good thing

[thejdrage · 8/10 · 20 June 2022]

The families who allowed their lives to be followed in this documentary were very brave and deserve a lot of kudos. The girls are incredible and they started a journey that they invited us all along on that was far more than anyone could imagine. In a quiet and personal and very deep way.

What I appreciated the most was seeing the view of the people in China and what they went through during that horrible time when the government dictated how many kids they could have: 1. It was also interesting learning what the orphanages were like at the time, having so many babies brought to them.

This journey is a tear jerker, so have some tissues at hand.

A refreshing, realistic and grounded piece that tugs at the heartstrings

[dqcbbnf · 10/10 · 25 December 2021]

An amazing piece from beginning to end. It will really make you appreciate what family you do have and cherish your time with them. The production is not bloated with Hollywood fluff, but an endearing focused insight into these girls' situations. While their situations may seem unique and far away, at the end you'll feel more in common with these girl's than you initially thought regardless of what country you live in or language you speak.

Interesting!

[lolipop_big · 10/10 · 3 November 2021]

We'll made , it's unfortunate that they couldn't find their parents at the end. Hats down to all these wonderful American families, for treating these kids like their own and were so open about it. One child policy was brutal but necessarily to save China. Look at them now, in just 40 years , the became one the most powerful counties...