Losing Isaiah (1995)

Director:

Stephen Gyllenhaal

Writers (WGA):

Seth Margolis (novel)
Naomi Foner (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 March 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Who decides what makes a mother?

Plot:

The natural and adoptive mothers of a young boy are involved in a bitter, controversial custody battle.

Plot Keywords:

Mother | Baby | Son | Social Worker | Custody Battle

Awards:

1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Feb. 19

1:00 PM

BET

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jessica Lange	...	Margaret Lewin
Halle Berry	...	Khaila Richards
David Strathairn	...	Charles Lewin
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Eddie Hughes
Daisy Eagan	...	Hannah Lewin
Marc John Jefferies	...	Isaiah
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Kadar Lewis
Joie Lee	...	Marie
Regina Taylor	...	Gussie
LaTanya Richardson	...	Caroline Jones
Jacqueline Brookes	...	Judge Silbowitz
Donovon Ian H. McKnight	...	Amir
Rikkia A. Smith	...	Josie
Paulette McDaniels	...	Ethel
Velma Austin	...	Rehab Leader

MPAA:

Rated R for drug related material and brief strong language.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | USA:R (certificate #33118) | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG | UK:15 (video premiere)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Originally shot for TV.

Quotes:

Khaila Richards: What is it you don't want him to know, huh? That his mother is as black as he is?
Margaret Lewin: [sneering] "Black!" All you people think about is color!
Khaila Richards: You people? You *people*? Well, you better look around, cause me and Isaiah, we the same kind of people. Or didn't you notice?

Soundtrack:

Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber

An interesting dilemma

"Just because you f***ed some junkie in a street corner doesn't make you his mother!" / dialogue from Losing Isaiah.

The film starts with a drug addict (Halle Berry, who is surprisingly good.) goes around in one of Americas less glamorous blocks with a screaming baby. But the withdrawal symptoms becomes to strong and she lies the child in a container. When she wakes up the next day she can't find Isaiah. She is devastated. (Isaiah has been taken to the hospital when a couple of dust men found him.)

Jessica Lange, Hollywood's best actress, plays the successful doctor that sees a little crack baby lying and screaming on the ward and thinks "Wouldn't it be nice to have one of those around the house?". She adopts the little fellow and raise him together with husband and daughter.

The film jumps between Lange's family that take care of the kid and his biological mother, Berry who is building up a new drug free life. She eventually finds out that her child is alive and, of course, then wants him back. Lange doesn't want to let him go. Berry then hires a tough lawyer (Samuel L. Jackson) and trial it is.

An interesting dilemma. And the film handles it good, very good. You really want to know who will get custody and which of the two mothers who gets the ending frame (and then 'wins' the film). The ending and the ending frame unfortunately is a cowardly compromise.