I first saw this film when it originally aired on CBC in 1992. Thirteen years later, it has lost none of its punch. Along with "The Boys Of St. Vincent" it is one of the best Canadian films to deal with the extremely sensitive subject of child abuse.
In this movie, accusations of incest takes center stage. Kelly Farrow (Vanessa King) is a preteen girl who has a history of lying and tormenting her younger siblings. She appears to have a "special" relationship with her father, Gil (Art Hindle), but is also at odds with him and the rest of her family when her bratty behavior gets the better of her. After making a scene at her younger sister Nini's birthday party, she takes her anger out on her adorable younger brother Patrick by locking him in the bathroom, which terrifies him. Gil proceeds to discipline her alone, and later, seething with rage, she informs her best friend that she is going to get back at her father for hurting her, and tells her teacher that her dad has been molesting her. The plot thickens.
Initially, no one but her teacher, brother, a social worker, and the prosecuting attorney, Susan Miori (Kate Nelligan) believe her; her family and friends all turn on her, accusing her of being deceitful. However, the boy she has been crushing on comes to her defense at school and tells her that she's doing the right thing. As the case is played out at trial, we are torn at first, but then learn that there's more to this seemingly typical middle-class family than meets the eye. If you look at the film again, more than one hint is dropped that not all is as normal with the Farrows as it seems. The fact that Kelly's older sister, Christina (Jann Mortil) was estranged from her father for many years, Patrick's fear of the bathroom and his father all foreshadow the revelation at the film's climax.
Christina has suppressed and denied the memories of her father sodomizing her, and when she realizes that Kelly and Patrick have both suffered the same trauma, she finally comes forward, confirming Kelly's claims. We realize that Gil's proclaimations of his innocence is a crock, part of his self-righteous attitude that he is incapable of any wrongdoing. The cast is fantastic, with the child actors the standouts. Rosemary Dunsmore, as Mary Farrow, is excellent as the mother who just doesn't want to know the truth.
In the end, we cheer for Kelly, who endured the process until the end, refusing to be her dad's "special angel" and victim any longer. The family is shattered, but justice has been served. "I always thought I was the bad one, but you're the bad one, because you're the adult," Kelly tells her father before the verdict is read. This young girl is more mature and courageous than her pedophile father could ever be. And tell me that the ending, with Gil being taken away, Mary sobbing alone in the courtroom, the children being led away, and Kelly and Christina embracing doesn't make you cry your eyes out every time.
This was a very realistic depiction of a crime that, sadly, occurs more often than we can imagine. But as long as films like this continue to air, awareness will continue to be heightened.
In this movie, accusations of incest takes center stage. Kelly Farrow (Vanessa King) is a preteen girl who has a history of lying and tormenting her younger siblings. She appears to have a "special" relationship with her father, Gil (Art Hindle), but is also at odds with him and the rest of her family when her bratty behavior gets the better of her. After making a scene at her younger sister Nini's birthday party, she takes her anger out on her adorable younger brother Patrick by locking him in the bathroom, which terrifies him. Gil proceeds to discipline her alone, and later, seething with rage, she informs her best friend that she is going to get back at her father for hurting her, and tells her teacher that her dad has been molesting her. The plot thickens.
Initially, no one but her teacher, brother, a social worker, and the prosecuting attorney, Susan Miori (Kate Nelligan) believe her; her family and friends all turn on her, accusing her of being deceitful. However, the boy she has been crushing on comes to her defense at school and tells her that she's doing the right thing. As the case is played out at trial, we are torn at first, but then learn that there's more to this seemingly typical middle-class family than meets the eye. If you look at the film again, more than one hint is dropped that not all is as normal with the Farrows as it seems. The fact that Kelly's older sister, Christina (Jann Mortil) was estranged from her father for many years, Patrick's fear of the bathroom and his father all foreshadow the revelation at the film's climax.
Christina has suppressed and denied the memories of her father sodomizing her, and when she realizes that Kelly and Patrick have both suffered the same trauma, she finally comes forward, confirming Kelly's claims. We realize that Gil's proclaimations of his innocence is a crock, part of his self-righteous attitude that he is incapable of any wrongdoing. The cast is fantastic, with the child actors the standouts. Rosemary Dunsmore, as Mary Farrow, is excellent as the mother who just doesn't want to know the truth.
In the end, we cheer for Kelly, who endured the process until the end, refusing to be her dad's "special angel" and victim any longer. The family is shattered, but justice has been served. "I always thought I was the bad one, but you're the bad one, because you're the adult," Kelly tells her father before the verdict is read. This young girl is more mature and courageous than her pedophile father could ever be. And tell me that the ending, with Gil being taken away, Mary sobbing alone in the courtroom, the children being led away, and Kelly and Christina embracing doesn't make you cry your eyes out every time.
This was a very realistic depiction of a crime that, sadly, occurs more often than we can imagine. But as long as films like this continue to air, awareness will continue to be heightened.