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William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie, Philip Bosco, Allison Gompf ... see more see more... , John F. Cleary , Georgia Ann Cline , William D. Byrd , Frank Carter Jr. , John Basinger , Jack Blessing , Linda Bove , Leigh French , Nicholas Guest , Archie Hahn III , Bob Hiltermann , E. Katherine Kerr , John Limnidis , Lynne Marie Stewart , Gigi Vorgan , James Carrington , Philip Holmes

Children of a Lesser God is a love story about a speech teacher who falls for a beautiful yet distant deaf girl in a small New England school for the deaf, and the obstacles that they face due to thei... read more read more...r differences. William Hurt plays James Leeds, a renegade teacher with an unconventional approach to education and a resume that includes stints as a bartender and a disk jockey. Upon his arrival, he is warned by school administrator Dr. Franklin (Philip Bosco) not to get creative with his instruction. Naturally, Leeds already has his mind set on his teaching plan and proceeds to play loud rock music in class in order to teach the students to feel the vibrations of the music and get them to try to speak phonetically. But a new element enters his life when he meets the attractive custodian, Sarah (Marlee Matlin). An exceptionally intelligent yet extremely bitter young woman, Sarah is a graduate of the school who has decided to remain there, in the confines of her world of silence; it's safer for her to be with her own "people" than to face what she perceives as a cruel and uncaring world. She hardly seems interested in James and will only communicate with him through signing, although she can read lips and even speak a little. James learns from Sarah's mother (Piper Laurie) that Sarah was sexually molested as a teenager; this explains why she is so wary of his attempts to form a relationship with her and why she is so full of fear. Eventually, James does get through to Sarah and the two fall in love, although both have to learn new ways to communicate their feelings. Though it seldom resembles the Mark Medoff play on which it was based, this directing debut from Randa Haines won an Best Actress Oscar for Matlin, for her first screen performance. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

Flixster Users

76% liked it

8,029 ratings

Critics

81% liked it

32 critics

R, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Randa Haines

Release Date: October 3, 1986

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DVD Release Date: November 15, 2005

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Stats: 438 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (438)

  • FrizzDrop
    February 28, 2011
    FrizzDrop
    A commentary on the state of the deaf community after so many years of innovation in teaching techniques, medicine, and biology, was missing from this romantic drama. Marlee Matlin was a great choice in casting, and her emotional portrayal of a deaf custodian was surely realistic... read more and award show worthy, but many theater goers were probably filled with unanswered questions concerning what it is to be taken advantage of. The relationship between herself and Hurt's character is not only rooted in traditional truth but has a deeper chemistry that resonates. It was very enjoyable to watch Hurt teach children through relatibility, which is a tried and true formula, but he never gets Matlin out of her shell to a point where one can be satisifed. Slightly underwhelming.
  • Tomassgringo
    February 27, 2011
    Tomassgringo
    Slow and boring. The "love" seemed rushed and shallow for the depths of such drama! Performances for this movie have been overrated!
  • ceWEBrity
    June 22, 2010
    ceWEBrity
    If the original play was "tough" as the Flixster summary describes it, I'd be really interested to watch that. Its movie offspring is well-made, well-acted and offers a dignified look at having a disability, but it's also blurry and squishy like romance movies of the 80s tend to ... read morebe. There's only a handful of moments where I felt like it was having any sort of impact. At the same time, though, I have a deaf friend who really dislikes this movie, so maybe there's some sort of enormous insult to deaf culture folded in here. I dunno.

    Interesting movie all around, a strong performance from Marlee Matlin (Oscar-winning? Amongst her weak competition, sure, but probably not in most years), and a generally compelling and compassionate narrative, but nothing life changing. It may open your eyes a bit if you don't know anything about deaf people. There's some sensible scene work - I was really involved with the scene where Marlee Matlin and John Hurt went to a party where everyone except Hurt was deaf and he felt so awkward and uncomfortable that he asked to go home. Without saying much else, it's an interesting way of looking at how Matlin's character deals with every day of her life. One thing that I found particularly annoying about it was Hurt's need to verbally repeat all of Matlin's sign language. It feels forced; why not subtitles? I have a really hard time imagining anyone watching a movie about deaf people having a problem with subtitles.
  • aliceinpunderland
    April 3, 2008
    aliceinpunderland
    Marlee Matlin is mysterious, beautiful, angry, and I've fallen into the pool with her. Film itself is a little patchy and some directorial choices aren't strong enough but the story is poignant and sweetly erotic.

    **I know I keep changing this rating. It's probably just proxim... read moreity afterglow from Marlee Matlin being so rock-awesome on Dancing With the Stars.
  • deano
    October 3, 2006
    deano
    Unusual love story between a teacher of the deaf and a deaf janitor. Marlee Matlin has a superb performance on her debut film. I love Deaf community / culture movies.
  • fb20312798
    February 27, 2011
    fb20312798
    The score is admittedly awful, I really don't think all the supporting characters get a fair say, and Piper Laurie's mother character is underdeveloped, but the central love story works. Most relationships are hard enough, but add the lack of one party to communicate verbally and... read more a whole slew of issues surfaces. The film faces them head on, and while I'm sure its still softer than the play I don't think we are given any illusions about how hard these two people will have it.
  • markisme009
    August 28, 2011
    markisme009
    I enjoyed this film, & give great credit for the bringing in the deaf
    into the hearing ,& visa-versa. Marlee Matlin is a most gorgeous woman.
    William Hurt does a good portrayal as a teacher ,too. Although, would
    have liked to see more classroom sc... read moreenes, with the rest of the
    charecters . The film was too short for the story . Although, you
    need to allow the lapse of time, also a little poorly indicated.
    Yet, the base of the story, I believe, is you can overcome anything,
    when it comes to love . Love does not need sound, sight, or even
    touch. It is just there , & you know when you feel it, inside .
    Not a touch feeling, but a heart feeling, as well as thought ,
    almost, as if you and only you, are in a different time & space .
    Only wishing , to bring the other person , in with you.

    As I said, I believe the film, is too short for the story . This would have been exellent as a book . To expand a little more on the story .
    Did you notice, that at the beginning, William is takeing the boat to
    & from the island ? As if to say, He is entering her world of scilence, every day ? Yet, He tries to bring her , into his ?
    Then , towards the end, they are together . As one .
  • HuskersNC949597
    May 31, 2011
    HuskersNC949597
    Straightforward and predictable, made tolerable by Marlee Matlin being pretty hot and stuff, although I'm still not totally sure why William Hurt was some kind of '80's sex symbol. He's not a bad actor, though.
  • jjb3332003
    May 26, 2010
    jjb3332003
    The end was nice, but for the most part this was a rather unremarkable film. While I respect the adversity she overcame in her chosen career, I feel Marlee Matlin winning a best actress award stinks of a pc gesture.
  • Zack437885
    January 11, 2010
    Zack437885
    I have a deaf friends and i can say for sure by dating a very special woman in my life she taught me that communication is more than words alone. god bless her

View All Children of a Lesser God Reviews

Critic Reviews

Richard Schickel
March 16, 2011
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

Children of a Lesser God, though given a handsome openness in Director Haines' production, cannot transcend the banalities of the play. But Matlin does. She is, one might say, a miracle worker. Full Review

Pat Graham
March 16, 2011
Pat Graham, Chicago Reader

Hurt seems to be bucking for at least two Oscar nominations here: one for his performance, the other for best echo effects by an interpreter of signed speech. Full Review

Variety Staff
July 22, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

A touching and universal love story. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

There's scarcely a single moment in it that seems to be spontaneous. Full Review

Paul Attanasio
January 1, 2000
Paul Attanasio, Washington Post

This is romance the way Hollywood used to make it, with both conflict and tenderness, at times capturing the texture of the day-to-day, at times finding the lyrical moments when two lovers find that t... Full Review

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

The polemic drama of deaf rights translates into a heart-pounding love story -- the most passionately performed since Officer and a Gentleman. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The performances are strong and wonderful. Full Review

March 16, 2011
Film4

A sappy but often genuinely moving and angry film about love, life and deafness. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
May 31, 2006
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Not unlike The Miracle Worker, this teacher-student-breakthrough movie updates the genre with several changes: the teacher (William Hurt) is an unconventional male, the student (Marlee Matlin) is an a... Full Review

Stephen Garrett
February 9, 2006
Stephen Garrett, Time Out

A genuinely touching love story and a clever gloss on the barriers and extensions of language. Full Review

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Children of a Lesser God Trivia

  • Who was the oscar winning actress who starred as Sarah in Children of a Lesser God?  Answer »
  • What is unusual about the main character, Sarah, in 1986's "Children of a Lesser God"?  Answer »
  • In what Canadian Province was "Children of a Lesser God" filmed?  Answer »
  • Marlee Matlin won her Oscar for "Best Actress" thanks to her performance in which movie?  Answer »
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