Cusack on Adoption
Monday, October 15th, 2007
In the upcoming film, Martian Child, John Cusack laments, “I don’t want to bring another kid into this world, but how do you argue against loving one that’s already here.”
In the film, Cusack (Say Anything, High Fidelity, Being John Malkovich) plays David Gordon, a widowed science-fiction writer who seeks to adopt a little boy named Dennis, an awkward child who believes he’s from another planet.
Yes, the film isn’t about international adoption, but anyone who has met and spent time with adoptees know that there are striking similarities (and equally striking differences) that are common to all adoption stories. The fact that domestic adoption is different, does not exclude it from being special and part of the adoption community.
The website teases you, insinuating that, perhaps, the boy might not be entirely making up his Martian personae. Whether or not this is a marketing ploy will have to wait until release. But I, for one, would welcome the twist. After all, the best “adoption” stories really don’t focus on adoption at all: Superman and Tarzan come to mind. These stories highlight the great things adopted kids can do. People initially relate to the central figure’s character, and then discover, yeah… they were adopted, too.
The fact that the child in the story is “different” or “unconventional” echoes the kinds of issues that you would face in an international adoption, albeit without confronting race. But togther, like adoptive families all over, they confront what it means to “fit in” as the trailer poses, “It doesn’t matter where you come from, as long as you discover where you belong.”
If that line doesn’t also have international adoption written all over it, then I don’t know what does.
Martian Child also features Amanda Peet and, of course, John’s sister, Joan Cusack. It is based on the Hugo and Nebula Award winning short story by sci-fi luminary David Gerrold and directed by Menno Meyjes. Depending on who you ask, the film opens October 26 or November 2 and distributed by New Line Cinema.
Official Website: www.martianchild.com