The girl with cerebral palsy at the heart of “Out of My Mind” certainly doesn’t like being called an “muse.” She made it clear that she hated pity, or anything resembling empty expressions of sympathy. However, the makers of the original Disney film, based on Sharon M. Draper’s novel, portrayed her as the perfect inspirational heroine, teaching able-bodied people how to treat their disabilities with respect and compassion. While this may serve as a good educational tool to influence the way the medical and educational community approaches disabilities, the construction of a protagonist invokes an arc that is strangely missing from this acute feature.
Even before the opening credits, the film offers an introspective look at the frenetic chaos that 12-year-old Melody Brooks (Phoebe Rae Taylor) deals with on an ordinary school day in 2002. We also hear her sense of humor via Jennifer Aniston. , the inner narrator that Melody adopts because she loves the actress from the series “Friends.” Her overprotective mother (Rosemary DeWitt) multitasks while complaining about their insurance company while concerned father Chuck (Luke Kirby) strives to get Melody’s sociable younger sister Penny (Emily Mitchell) into kindergarten just like nosy neighbor Mrs. V. (Judith Light). Stops by for a visit. Melody easily gets lost in the fray and her father deals her with varying insults, everything from suddenly turning off the TV to accidentally blaming her for smashing Ollie’s pet goldfish’s tank, when in reality she was trying to save him after he escaped.
Melody has been in the same special education classroom for the past seven years, and desperately wants to socialize and learn alongside students in her regular classroom. She gets her wish when Dr. Katherine Rae (Courtney Taylor) offers a way to attend a history class with her sixth-graders, as well as being approved for an Intermediate Speakers unit of writing and speaking. However, it’s not easy for Melody to negotiate this newly opened world as she suffers insults from popular classmates Claire (Kate Moir) and Judy (Gabriella Francis), as well as being held to impossible standards by exclusionary teacher Mr. Demings (Michael). Chernos). Carried by her indomitable spirit, she makes a new friend, Rose (Maria Nash). She excels in class, and looks forward to the Whiz Kids trivia competition where she feels she can prove her worth.
Although Melody faces many obstacles that are compounded by the fact that she is non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair, director Amber Seely and screenwriter Daniel Steppelman highlight her as a capable jumper. She faces challenges with a smile. She is intelligent and resourceful, especially when expressing complex words not on the laminated word board she uses to communicate, and searches the room to point out things. When she is evaluated for a speech assistive device, despite her stress, she brilliantly thinks outside the box to get an answer. She’s also smart enough to use other people’s pity to her advantage, cutting the line outside a popular mall so she and Rose can have fun and try on clothes. Once she is inevitably given the personal growth opportunities she deserves, Melody thrives, finding strength, grace, and fortitude.
However, what should be a valuable personal asset is paradoxically a double-edged sword. Melody learns nothing new about herself during her battles against ignorant people while growing up in a time that does not suit her needs. The only things she needs to overcome are her external circumstances: abuses of power by doctors, insurance agents, school administrators, and bullies intent on keeping her down—some of which seem contrived (such as being excluded from a trivia team activity after proving herself the star player). Her fight for greater autonomy is heartbreaking and gives a voice to the voiceless. But it’s impossible to ignore that her journey is more focused on how it affects those who choose to limit her rather than showing any internal change (since she doesn’t need it).
Celie allows ample space for Melody’s actions to resonate as loudly as her internal dialogue. It’s the way the character’s point of view and personality are brilliantly represented: when she’s feeling down, the squares on her tablet flash on the screen, intersecting with her outer physicality. Seeley and editor Jacob Craycroft display visual ingenuity with these sequences that range from Melody’s rejection of her father’s half-hearted apology to Melody’s attempts to get the attention of the arguing adults. They’re also not afraid of lightheartedness, interweaving a bored Chuck watching Penny lick salt off a giant pretzel between a montage of Melody and Rose’s lively transformations and pop colors. Cinematographer Noah Greenberg further defines Melody’s happiness, illuminating her joy with the warm glow of the golden hour.
Taylor’s performance is the heartbeat of the picture. Her subtle expressions break hearts in painful moments, as well as make them swell with pride during daily victories. The debut leading lady, who has cerebral palsy, infuses her character with energy, intelligence and earnest sincerity. She finds vulnerable tenderness in scenes with DeWitt, who this year alone has portrayed many aspects of motherhood — from an encouraging nanny in this film to a toxic mother in Smile 2. Kirby builds depth and dimension into his grounded portrayal of a troubled father and husband. Be prepared for his tear-jerking moments. Aniston’s voice work is a perfect complement to Taylor’s, and never gets in the way or overtakes the spotlight on her avatar’s portrayal.
“Out of My Mind” is a worthy and unique coming-of-age story. Despite the speed bumps they encounter, the filmmakers deliver a poignant message that a person’s disability should not hinder their growth and independence.