Children of a Lesser God

Starring: William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie, Philip Bosco
Directed by: Randa Haines
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Romance
1986

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A new teacher (William Hurt) in a school for the deaf falls in love with a deaf custodian (Marlee Matlin) who resists any attempts of help.

Review:

Tim: Children of a Lesser God is a surprisingly powerful film. I didn't know much about it, outside of Marlee Matlin winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance. It found it to be an exceptionally crafted film that shines a light on deaf culture while telling a powerful love story that's about more than just romance.

My favorite part of the film was the deep look at what it is like to be deaf and the culture that surrounds it. It is not something I'd ever really considered before. It's as fascinating as it is heartbreaking. It was so interesting to watch the deaf classes as the teacher tries to get the students to talk, to read lips, to interact in spite of their disability. It is challenging but so interesting to see a deaf and non-deaf person interact, converse, and have heated arguments. The film treats the subject matter with the utmost respect but it lifts up the curtain and lets us into this aspect of our world most of us never see. One of the most fascinating scenes for me was a party with mostly deaf people. It's total silence, but hands are moving, signing extremely quickly. It was riveting stuff, to see how deaf people live in a culture where everyone else can hear. That was one of the most powerful, unforgettable aspects of this film. I felt like I learned so much about deaf people, all while being entertained.

The heart of this film is a love story. However, it felt so fresh and unique because of the barriers between our two characters. I'd never considered what a relationship like this might be like, or the toll it would take on both parties. If you could hear, you could never share your favorite music with your partner. If you're deaf, does that put the other person in the driver's seat of the relationship? All those relationship dynamics were fascinating and so unlike the majority of romantic stories we see from Hollywood. The struggles of these characters felt real, which was a refreshing break from the usual Hollywood fare. I really appreciated the film's attempt to tell a believable, real story.

William Hurt is excellent in the lead role. He is an exceptionally talented actor and I love discovering these great performances he's had over the years. His role had to be extremely difficult, to act while signing and show a great range of emotions in this film. I'm glad he was nominated for Best Actor, because was fantastic in the part. I also loved the performance of Marlee Matlin. It's interesting that she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She certainly gives a wonderful performance. I think it's so interesting that she was in the play, but not in the role she played in the movie. As a deaf actress, she had just another obstacle to overcome to bring this role to life. Her performance is incredible for the strength, energy, and emotion she brings, all without saying a word. Matlin and Hurt work so well together, it was very enjoyable watching them together on screen. I thought Piper Laurie was fine, but was shocked she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. She doesn't do nearly enough to warrant that nomination.

Children of a Lesser God is a great movie. It's exceptionally well made, so there's no surprise it was nominated for 5 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It tells an emotionally powerful, memorable story that is riveting and informative. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, which is undeniably one of the best of 1986.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



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