Faithful Friday: Out Of My Mind movie review
By Debbie Waltz
Throughout this blog, I have condensed all my experiences of the Special Education System into short, entertaining stories meant to educate parents on how to advocate for their children and/or loved ones. It’s a privilege to have a voice to express myself, and I recognize that I’m one of the fortunate ones who can freely share their thoughts and feelings. Not everyone in special education receives the same level of support. The severity of a disability can influence the time it takes to find the right assistive technology and accurately assess potential, sometimes taking years.
Amber Sealey’s adaptation of Sharon M. Draper’s “Out Of My Mind” immerses audiences in the world of a character navigating the complexities of living with a disability. The movie follows Melody’s (played by Phoebe-Rae Taylor) journey as she navigates the boisterous world of a mainstream sixth-grade classroom. It delves into the family’s inner turmoil, highlighting their struggle to balance their desire for Melody’s independence with their protective instincts against the world’s harshness.
As Mr. Dimming (Michael Chernes) and the other sixth-grade students welcome their new classmates, he is unsure what to expect. Will she be able to answer questions? Will the wheelchair be a distraction to the other students? These concerns are valid for a teacher who has never interacted with someone with CP (cerebral Palsy) before. Melody quickly dispels any question about her belonging in his class when she answers a difficult question to his students: Who was the first person to set foot into America?
Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t Christopher Columbus. Unable to use her word board, she eyes a leaf on the bulletin board, and Dr. Catherine Ray (played by Courtney Taylor), acting as her PA, guesses the rest. Unable to believe his ears, he gives her an even more tough question:
“Where did he originate from?” The entire classroom waits as she painstakingly points out every letter separately.
“I.C.E. L. A. N.D.”
I’d like to stop here and explain a few things. Though this movie does a great job of showing the broad strokes of the mainstreaming process, it lacks the depth to fully explore its complexities. While they don’t just have parents sign paperwork saying it’s okay to mainstream their kid, there’s an entire process involved, including intellectual testing and developing a child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP for short.) This ensures that parents and teachers (Special Ed and regular) agree to set goals for their child’s social and academic year and provide benchmarks for measuring progress and improvement. Whenever feasible, the child takes part in creating and carrying out these goals, as they are crucial for the child’s future. Over time, I even directed my own IEP, inviting the people I thought would be there to help me complete such goals.
Inclusion programs also foster a sense of belonging and strengthen community bonds within the school wall. Interacting with regular students helps students with disabilities learn appropriate social skills and behaviors, and the sights and sounds of a fully inclusive classroom environment foster empathy and understanding among all students. Though the transition isn’t easy, it can benefit both parties. During the process, knowing what your child is capable of is essential. Though assessments are vital, they can only go so far in telling someone’s intelligence. Be careful of pushback, though. Not everyone believes you can judge a person’s intelligence through “their eyes.”
Back to the movie. While Melody does her best to fit in, the students don’t adjust well. But one student tries Rose (played by Maria Nash). Despite having difficulty learning how Melody uses her communication board, the two bond over shoes. Feeling as if a friendship has been formed, Melody invites her to the space Museum. “My mother says just because people are different doesn’t mean you have to treat them any differently,” explains Rose on the trip. Somewhere along the way, Rose notices her friends and says “hi”; this causes her dad, Chuck (played by Luke Kirby), to go into protective mode and inform her. She just can’t leave his child excluded like that- since she can’t always have access to certain places.
Upset by her father’s intrusion, Melody sets off to watch a film about Stephen Hawking and his theories. Taken by his ability to “talk,” Chuck begins looking into getting her an AAC (Augmentative and alternative communication) device. Of course, there are hurdles like testing and insurance to prove the technology’s necessity. But mom to the rescue. Diane (played by Rosemary DeWitt) goes to bat for her daughter, sitting in the insurance office until she is seen to get her daughter evaluated. This heartbreaking reality highlights the relentless tenacity required to fight for a special needs child—facing countless obstacles and bureaucratic hurdles. Though these tests are standardized and based on the professional opinions of clinical psychologists or school professionals, they are not always the best measure of one’s intelligence. Based on a person’s degree of communication, the answers are sometimes based on subjective behaviors rather than natural capability. This is certainly Melody’s case when she is denied the device due to the test results. Thankfully, Chuck searches for a second opinion. He is going to Dr. Ray for help; little does he know, they don’t need a doctor’s referral, just someone with an area of specialty in the area of special needs.
Ta-da, a loophole.
When her MetaTalker arrives, she is anxious to let her fingers do the talking- not only choosing her own voice style but inputting some words and phrases that have long since been unexpressed. When Chuck arrives home from work. Melody welcomes her dad with the news she has long been holding onto- that Olly, her fish, had jumped from his tank, and that’s why she was messing with his fish tank in the first place- not that she wasn’t being careful. With this newfound form of expression, she hopes this will break down more barriers with her classmates, but she is sadly mistaken When she accidentally presses the wrong button on her device and announces it to a group of sixth-grade peers. “I want toilet”, Melody is mortified. Determined to prove herself, she offers to help Rose study for the quiz team. Ensure of what good it will do, Rose almost declines until Melody showcases the trivia games on her device.
In anticipation of the upcoming quiz team trials, Rose invited her friend to study together at home. It was pretty surprising that Melody had no problem at all getting into her house, even though Rose’s mother was incredibly worried about the possibility of Melody’s shoes dirtying her very, very white carpet. While engrossed in their studies, a sense of intimacy developed, leading them to share personal thoughts and feelings with one another-Rose, asking more about Melody’s cerebral Palsy and gossiping about the class’s cutest guys.
The day of the test arrives, and everyone is ready, including Melody. But this time, she arrives with someone new to ensure there are no issues of favoritism. However, Mr. Dimming is unsure of what to do; he makes sure Melody is aware that this isn’t “a club” and that it is based on real knowledge. She is undeterred, asserting that she should not be considered “fragile.” Unsure of what to do, the test goes on as scheduled. Afterward, some girls question some of their answers- hoping to reach a consensus. Melody inserts her consensus, and the girls laugh but agree. Rose tries to get them to understand Melody better by inserting that she “suffers from cerebral palsy” and doesn’t need their pity. Unfortunately, it backfires, and Melody is upset- saying she is not suffering from the condition. She is just living with it.
When the results are announced, Melody is not among them. Upon further digging, it is discovered that the teacher didn’t even grade her test. When the answer sheet and Melody’s are compared, they are identical-. She had the highest score. Knowing the truth, Melody is happy but knows that it will result in hurt feelings. She wants nothing to do with it. However, her parents won’t hear of it; they want fairness for their daughter. Putting him in a pickle, Mr. Dimming must demote Rose and make Melody part of the team.
Meanwhile, this doesn’t bode well for Dr Ray’s project, as the teacher refuses to have her in his classroom. The principal agrees, saying that going behind his back and getting the answer key tarnished his reputation and that he really cares for the kids.
“Melody is ‘his kid’ too,” Dr. Ray reasons
After a heated debate on where schools should get the resources for programs like these, Dr. Ray storms away, saying she has a new thesis for her book: Disabilities don’t hold children back, Schools do
The day of the competition arrives, and they go to the station. Trying her best to make things right with Rose, she apologizes. Rose acquiesces, saying she was only nice to her because her parents had promised her an iPod. Hurt and dejected, she asks to go to the bathroom. She admits to her mom that she sometimes feels like a burden to everyone.
The competition continues, and the teams end in a tie, forcing them into a tiebreaker. During this round, the team will be represented by only one team member from each school in the first person to answer a question wrong. After a 30-second debate, Melody is chosen despite the fear that they will look dumb if they lose. The boys argued that she had the highest score. They win and are off to Washington later for the national competition.
I won’t spoil the ending for those of you who haven’t read the book or seen the movie. However, I will say that this book and movie accurately depict the mainstreaming process and its impacts on students in general. We will always face opposition from some, no matter where we go. But there will be some people in your corner who take the time to get to know and see you for the person you are inside. Use these to your advantage, Whether family, friends, or advocates. But don’t forget you have a voice, no matter what Avenue that takes in the form of technology. Make sure your voice is heard.
I do applaud Disney for hiring an actual person with CP to play the part of “Melody.” However, they could have used her talents more to express her thoughts and feelings about the character. Although using Jennifer Aniston’s voice was cute, Phoebe’s could’ve expressed much more. Maria Nash’s portrayal of Rose (a regular student) is a perfect example of the “lack of understanding and compassion” we face daily. Whether gnostics well-educated on how to treat those with special needs or not, needs, she falls prey to peer pressure just like the rest. Her excellent performance illuminates how misunderstandings and peer pressure affect even well-informed students, showcasing the subtle nuances of these pressures. Well-raised and possessing a strong moral compass, she nevertheless falters under the weight of societal judgment and the sting of hurt feelings, choosing sides against her better judgment.
Finally, I will say I love her monologue at the end. While mainstreaming, I wish I had the courage to say such things, realizing that their insecurities about having me as a classmate was their problem, not mine. I had just as much right to be there as they did
Finally, I will say I love her monologue at the end. While mainstreaming, I wish I dared to say such things, realizing that their insecurities about having me as a classmate were their problem, not mine. I had just as much right to be there as they did