Their mother, Jan, was indeed a drug addict, and very rarely concerned herself with the welfare of her six children. Amy took on the motherly role that she and her siblings desperately needed. They were apart for six months. Upon their return, Amy vowed that she would do everything she could to prevent her family from being separated again. Amy held down multiple jobs, found a cheap place to live, and at the same time juggled caring for her four siblings. Her younger sister eventually went to live with an aunt, not a boyfriend.
Amy started legal proceedings to adopt her siblings and was awarded temporary custody of them when she was But there were more complications to come. Not shown in the film is the fact that despite using birth control, Amy became pregnant at age Despite already caring for three children, Amy decided to keep the baby and gave birth to a son.
Amy chose her family and eventually saved up enough money to move into a small rented house. Amy is now a single mother to four boys, working, and going to college part-time. Watch the film and review several Discussion Questions. Health teachers should conduct a discussion based on the questions that focus on the curriculum standards for which you are showing the film. ELA teachers should select questions that will relate to the skills-based assignment that will be coming.
Then either discuss in class the Quick Discussion Question and several of the other Discussion Questions. An alternative is to have the class write an essay on any of these topics. Did any good come from it?
Suggested Response:. Allowing Jan to find a refuge in her home and therefore avoid many of the unpleasant consequences of living an intoxicated lifestyle, simply allowed Jam to continue to be a drug addict. It would have been better for Jan if the grandmother had kicked her out any time she was intoxicated and required that she be in rehab and clean before allowing Jan back into the home. Allowing Jan back into the house was also bad for Amy and her brothers and sisters because they needed a stable home without the disruption caused by an addicted person.
It was also bad for the grandmother to have Jan in the house because Jan destabilized the family and caused the grandmother stress. What was it? Justify your answer. The justification is in the answer to question 1. A well-administered foster care system is a good thing and good for most kids placed in foster care. Most foster care parents are loving, committed people who provide a stable, temporary home for the children placed with them.
For an example of a wise and caring foster care parent, see Angels in the Outfield. However, Gracie and her siblings wanted to stay together and maintain their family unit.
Foster care would have required at least some of the siblings to be separated. Love makes a family. Robbie screams as the window shatters from gunfire. After the shootout ends, his sister tells him everything's fine and calms his down. Once home, the police interview Gracie about the shootings, which she has nothing to say about as all she thought about was to keep her brother safe. Afterwards, Ryan scolds the police for pressuring Gracie, but Gracie tells him to calm down and go upstairs, as well as for Robbie to do the same.
After her grandmother shouts that she and Robbie could have been killed, Gracie yells at her, also telling her to calm down.
Shortly after, Tommy appears having heard the news. He throws his arms around Gracie, but Gracie begins to act awkwardly. She says that she might vomit, which she does on one of the officers while running to the bathroom. Once bedtime comes around, Tommy comes into Gracie's room to comfort her. She expresses all the stress that she has to go through, from court, to school, to the housework, to the her brothers' well-being.
Tommy tells her that all she has to do is get a scholarship, which will allow them to be together while her grandmother can take care of the boys. After being comforted by this idea, Gracie and Tommy make out on the bed. The next day, the two discuss the situation as Tommy shows Gracie an application that gives college grants to foster parents like her. At work, Gracie's boss receives a call from a local hospital asking for Gracie herself. Once Gracie gets on the line, she finds out that her grandmother has been hospitalized.
Gracie rushes to the hospital without a second though. Once there, she finds her grandmother barely alive in a hospital bed. While dying, Lou loses touch with reality and begins to think that Gracie is Rowena. With this, she tells Gracie all her regrets, and that "parents aren't always so smart. Knowing that her grandmother is not going to snap out of it, Gracie plays along and tells her that she forgives her.
Lou dies shortly after. Louella's funeral is held about a week later, which Rose comes to attend while a few weeks from giving birth. Surprisingly, Gracie's mother, Rowena, doesn't show up. After the funeral, much of Gracie's family holds a small little party at her grandmother's old house. To the family's shock, Rowena appears out of nowhere with a new boyfriend. She defends herself about not attending her mother's funeral by saying that she couldn't find the church, which does not convince Gracie in the slightest.
Rowena is shocked by the fact that Rose is pregnant. She then asks where her sons are, which Gracie replies that they are outside. Rowena goes out to see her boys, who are shocked to see her. She asks them to come to her. Although they are hesitant at first, they convince themselves to do just that.
Gracie and Rose watch this from the back door. Rose asks Gracie if she thinks their mother is going tot try to take the boys, to which Gracie responds "Who knows what she's going to do? After returning home from school, Gracie finds a letter from Braxton college in her mailbox, and puts it in her purse for later.
Once at work and with a break, Gracie opens up the letter, and finds out that it is a scholarship to Braxton College. However, knowing that she could not possibly go to college and take care of the boys simultaneously, Gracie tears it up and throws it in the garbage.
Just then, her boss tells her that a man sitting at one of the restaurant's booths would like to speak with her. When she comes to him, the man stands up and asks her for a hug. Confused, Gracie asks who he is. To her shock, the man reveals himself as Gracie's father, and asks if they could have a place to talk in private for just a minute. After bringing him to the kitchen, Gracie scolds her father and tells him that he beat her, but he replies that it was her mother who did just that.
Left with uncertainty, Gracie asks him if this is true. He responds that he had always been thinking about her and had been waiting until she was 18 so that he could see her.
When Gracie asks why he didn't just call her, he becomes frustrated and tells her that he had problems of his own that he had to deal with. Gracie begins to sympathize with her father, but this is short-lived as her father then tells her that her mother is forcing him to pay child support for Rose and the boys as she is claiming they are his children, even though they are not.
He asks her to sign a document saying that he was not in Rowena's life at all when her other children were born. Coming to the conclusion that her father only wanted to see her to avoid paying child support, Gracie is infuriated by this, but signs the document regardless and sarcastically tells her father "Good luck with your child support, Daddy".
When Gracie wakes up on the day of her graduation, she finds her bed covered in flowers, and she smiles as she knows it was her brothers' doing. After rising up, the boys bust through her door and shout "Congratulations". They give her a pancake breakfast with the numbers which represents "I love you" , heartwarming Gracie. At school, Gracie receives her diploma and is happier than ever.
She takes photos with the other graduates and hugs her brothers all the way. Rose, who had just given birth to her daughter, also makes a visit and tells Gracie how proud she is of her. Thurston then appears to take a picture with both Gracie and Tommy. After doing so, she tells Gracie that her new scholarship will have her go far. Unfortunately, Tommy overhears this and is shocked, as Gracie had told him nothing about this. While on a date with him shortly after graduation, Gracie tells Tommy that she threw away her scholarship as he couldn't possibly just go to college and leave her brothers behind.
Tommy grows angry at this and tells her to just let someone adopt them, but Gracie responds by saying that if anyone is to adopt them, it is going to be her. Tommy is infuriated by this and tells her that he wants to be with her and only her.
Although he apologizes, he states that he has his entire life in front of him, and that he can't be with her if the case remains the same. Before leaving, Tommy tells Gracie that her family is ruining her life, and that she doesn't even see it, but Gracie refuses to listen to him, resulting in their break-up. Gracie works with a social worker to file for legal adoption of her brothers. However, the man explains all the complications in this, and that this is incredibly unlikely to work out.
Gracie doesn't care and has him help her anyway. On the day of court, Gracie dresses up all her brothers and makes sure everything is set. Once they arrive, she has them sit down while she goes to the bathroom.
After using the toilet, Gracie asks an old woman taking medicine if she could have one of those. The woman tells her that they are aspirin, and gladly gives her a few. As Gracie washes her hands, the woman exclaims that the court took her children from her just this morning, and asks what kind of people would that. Gracie is saddened by this as she is about to do the exact same thing, and wishes the woman all her luck. When returning to the boys, Gracie is shocked to see her mother with them.
The boys tell her that Rowena is going to take to Wyoming and they could have a comfortable life. She tells Gracie that she is going to make up for all of her mistakes as a mother, to which Gracie responds "Please don't do this". An hour later, court begins. During court, Rowena builds her case and eventually gets into an argument with Gracie over who is more suited to be the mother of the boys.
The judge ceases this and then orders the children to be brought into the courtroom. Once there, the boys are told by the judge that they will be asked a simple question. Since Ryan is the oldest, he will be asked first. The judge asks him "who do you want to live with? Ryan looks back at his mother, and signals "" at her. He tells her that he loves her and that he always will, but he then faces back towards the judge and tells her that he would rather live with Gracie, much to his mother's shock.
Before the judge can ask Jonny next, Rowena starts begging him to look at her, and exclaims that Gracie had brainwashed them to be scared of their mother.
She then tells them that she is not a bad mother, and is just looking for another chance. The judge tells Jonny to ignore what his mother had just told him and to simply stay with his feelings. When asked about who he would rather live with, Jonny exclaims that Gracie had been taking care of them their whole lives, which is what a true mother does.
Finally, it is Robbie's turn to be asked. When asked who he would rather live with, he at first says he would like to live in Wyoming and ride a horse, delighting his mother and making it look like he will choose her, but his mother's joy is short-lived as he says that what he would truly want is to go home with Gracie herself, filling Gracie with relief. With all this in mind, the judge makes her decision. Although she expresses sympathy for Rowena, she terminates her parental rights of the boys and gives them to Gracie.
However, the performances given by Kristen Bell and Anne Heche are just good and believable enough to make the story work, despite the fact that they carried the entire movie on their backs. I'm not sure if I'd watch it again, but it's good for showcasing Kristen Bell's acting abilities, even before she was a huge star. Make sure you have your tissues instead of popcorn while watching, it will make u sob.
This is the best movie ever made!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you have ever watch a movie in your life, you ain't seen nothing until you sit down a watch the Lifetime Movie Gracie's Choice.
I know if you watch this movie, you will love it more than any movie you have ever watched in your life. I have seen some good movies in my time, Gracie's Choice is the best movie I have ever seen in my life.
Kristen Bell done a wonderful job in this movie. The thing I love about this movie is that Gracie ain't going to let anything come between her and her little brother's which is now her own children and Gracie is going to keep them together no matter what, and her brothers loves Gracie like a mom.
To know that this is a true story and by watching the movie, it makes me feel good. Lifetime TV has brought us the best movie ever made on TV. StevenPlaymountain 3 September It's not because you claim you love your children, you actually love them. This is the premise for Gracie's Choice.
How the person that gave birth to you betrays you, makes your life miserable, this is what this movie is about, and how to overcome all that. This movie is based on facts. Meet Gracie, a 17 year old girl played by the adorable Kristen Bell who sacrifices her own life to make sure her brothers are safe and sound. Her drug addict mother played by the wonderful Anne Heche changes boyfriends like underwear, and makes her children put up with it by dishing them fairy tale stories about horses and tasty meals.
All and all, the mother is just a ghostly projection, a tantalizing dream, an empty promise. She doesn't love her kids, although she doesn't realize this herself. But the movie reveals this in a dramatic way. The mother yells Gracie can go to hell. Gracie responds fittingly: "I was born in hell. In a way Gracie is too good for this world. She sacrifices herself for her little half brothers. The casting of Kristen Bell for the role of role model Gracie Thompson was an excellent choice.
Based on a true story, this is a movie that I decided to watch on Lifetime, simply because I was bored and couldn't find anything else to watch. I went in with expectations of another 'okay' Lifetime movie. However, I was more than just slightly surprised. Anyone with a heart would like this movie, and anyone who can relate to even SOME of the experiences shown, cant help but get pulled in immediately.
Usually accompanied by a new 'man', aka flavor of the week. The grandmother attempts to help, but only enables her daughters behavior. Gracie makes a choice. She chooses to put her siblings ahead of herself and give them a better life, at the expense of her own. She goes to highschool, has a job, saves money for a car, gets a place to live, and manages to get her sibling's back in school, getting better grades and actually doing well.
She proves that some teenage moms ARE able to do it all. She showed that giving birth doesn't make you a mother. This is not the typical Lifetime movie. A true story of a heartbreaking life, transformed into a story of "you can really come from nothing and become something amazing.
Loved it! This movie, "Gracie's Choice," is perhaps too close to home for me. This movie inspires me to do what she has done. The only difference is, I am not wanting to adopt my siblings, I am wanting to adopt my son. Previously, the courts were not in favor of me, despite my efforts. And, I had lost hope of ever adopting my son from his mother.
But, now, I hope to. Allow me to share one of my quotes that I find inspirational: "It is within you. When it is time, it will happen. I thought this was the best movie Lifetime has made in quite awhile. I was glued to the TV the whole time it was one. It is such a heart warming and true story. It touched my heart. Kristen Bell did a wonderful job. She brought a lot of emotion to the role. I felt for the family it involved and was so happy with it's conclusion.
RayRob82 23 February I'm not usually one for daytime movies or the type to watch the Hallmark Channel in the UK but while channel hopping, I saw a trailer for this movie. What captured me was the fact that it was based on a true story, particularly based on a Readers Digest article which I would love to read.
I made a point to watch this movie and I'm very glad that I did! From the very beginning as a viewer I could see a glimpse of the type of life-style that the family led. I instantly empathised if that's the correct word with the lead character of Gracie, played extremely well by Kirsten Bell!
I don't want to give too much away, but this is a truly remarkable, heroic and self-sacrificing movie about a young girl who bares the weight of her family out of pure love. I am amazed how such a gem of a movie was made specifically for TV.
Excellent, but puzzling at times sheldon-berger 27 December This movie actually kept my wife awake! It was an excellent story and you just have to admire Gracie for her determination. She would be someone I would like to meet. The acting was extremely good, especially Anne Heche.
She should be nominated for some kind of award for her performance,scary at times. Diane Ladd, great, as always, and Kristen Bell was reasonably convincing. I was a bit puzzled about the romantic relationship that Gracie had in the story. It should have had more substance to it.
At first the boyfriend was completely understanding of Gracie's plight, and in an instant he reversed his feelings. No matter, overall a must see. Then, just out of high school, she adopted them after their drug-addicted and often absent biological mother's parental rights were revoked. Kristen Bell, starring as Gracie, gave a lukewarm performance. Although she expressed with her words what a struggle attending high school while working plus parenting her siblings was, I didn't get any sense of it from her execution.
Anne Heche, on the other hand, was so convincing as the indifferent Rowena that I felt unmitigated disgust for her. It was by far her best performance ever. I watched "Down with Love" first and that was a really good movie.
I recommend watching it. Stars Renee' Zelwinger. After that went of I kept the channel on and watched "Grace's Choice". Boy am I glad I did. Kristen Bell does an excellent job in this movie.
Kept my interest thru the whole thing. Everyone in this movie does a great job in their respective parts.
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