Set in New York City, James Lapine's "Custody", which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, addresses how the system treats the problems of families where there are allegations of physical mistreatment of children.
The film starts in scattered fashion, with multiple, seemingly unrelated stories and characters introduced. Lapine soon intertwines them and the results are ultimately rewarding. This is partially because it is well-written, and also because of a few excellent performances, particularly by Catalina Sandino Moreno, who is best known for her outstanding turn in "Maria Full of Grace", and the always excellent Viola Davis.
The primary custody case revolves around Sara (Moreno) and her children and specifically her son. Sara works in your typical sweatshop setting, earning the minimum wage. When she returns from work one day, her son, who is around 10, isn't at home. She instinctively knows that he is in a neighbor's apartment that serves as a party place for kids where drugs and drinking is always on the menu.
Sara furiously drags him back to their apartment and, while yelling at him, gives him a little push. The kid trips and crashes through a glass coffee table, causing a gash above his eye. It's not that bad and only requires a band aid. The real problems begin when someone at school notices the gash and reports it to the authorities, because they can't be certain that the child has not been abused at home.
The political climate is already in an uproar due to another child abuse case. Child Protective Services recently released a little girl back to her mother only to have the child later die as a result of her mother's actions. This makes the authorities incredibly sensitive to releasing another child back to a mother under investigation.
Lapine never picks a side of the debate on whether Sara's son should be returned to her. He presents both sides and leaves us to form our own opinions. There are really no bad guys here, even in the various subplots. It's just people trying their best under tough circumstances and thanks to Moreno and Davis and the rest of the cast, "Custody" is worth keeping.
| Movie title | Custody |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2016 |
| MPAA Rating | NR |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | Catalina Sandino Moreno and Viola Davis shine in an even-handed look at what happens when a woman is investigated for child abuse. |
