Out of My Mind and Blink

January movie review for subscribers only

This month's movie review is another double feature. Both films are streaming on Disney+ Disney’s Out of My Mind and the National Geographic documentary Blink. Also, a change-up to the rating system. From now on, I will be using a standard 1-5 stars system.

Out of My Mind is an adaptation of the 2010 novel by Sharon M. Draper. It is a sweet and profound coming-of-age story about middle-grade students. So, yeah, I liked it. Melody is in sixth grade with a brilliant mind and almost no verbal ability because of her cerebral palsy. The film explores themes of friendship, the struggles and prejudices that come with varying abilities, and the need to find one's own voice. There are some outstanding performances. Melody is played by Phoebe-Rae Taylor, who also has cerebral palsy. She is a joy to watch; her non-verbal performance shines! Her splendid acting, coupled with great edits showing Melody's desire to communicate with the word chart on her wheelchair display, portrays powerful emotions and a range of feelings. Judith Light also gives an outstanding performance as the assertive next- door neighbor. There are times when the film skirts very close to one-dimensional stereotypes about bullying and teachers/administrators who care more about budgets than kids. It does a great job of avoiding the trope of a savior rescuing Melody. The film's main takeaway is that Melody has something to say; she finds her voice and learns to speak truth to power. This is a good watch for parents and kids, especially introducing the idea of how we interact with people of varying abilities and how we must learn to speak up for ourselves in spite of or even because of obstacles that stand in our way.

Bottom line: Out of My Mind may not blow your mind, but it’s worth your time. I give it four stars.

Blink: Is about a family of six from Montreal dealing with the reality that three of their four children have retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and will eventually be blind. It was hard for me to watch. I spent much of my time as a child with the very real risk of blindness. As an adult, I know that my days of great vision are fading. The parents and family spend a year traveling, giving their children as many visual memories as possible, checking off a bucket list things the children wanted to see. Every bit of breathtaking scenery is muted by the reality of why they are seeing it. The film is poignant without being preachy, sad without being moody, and profound without being emotionally manipulative. You cannot watch this film as a parent and not wonder what you would do. You cannot watch this film as a person and not wonder what you are and are not taking advantage of. The film, like a lot of documentaries, is deliberately paced. It will not appeal to everyone. However, if you are brave enough, it will help you see the world in a new way and appreciate that you can see the world at all.

Bottom Line: Blink is a powerful look at being intentional about what we look for. I give it 4.5 stars

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