This was a very good movie, the part that really moved me was when the grandfather decided to adopt the boy so that his grandchild would not be adopted by an unknown family. It was really cool when the L.J went looking for his mother only to find out that it was not going to be as easy as he thought. Very good ending too!
11 Reviews
Well worth watching
jewelch20 April 2021
Gloria Reuben, Ving Rhames, Robert Bailey, Jr. Star in Little John a very good movie about A family court judge's life is turned upside down when her father and long-lost son-whom she thought she gave up for adoption show up and try to make amends. I recommend it. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 4/20/2021.
VIng Rhames and Robert Bailey Jr. Shine!
hwarner-6546211 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Ving Rhames was excellent and in my opinion this is his finest acting I've seen him do. He portrays a richness of heart and emotion a grandfather adopting his grandson after his daughter is raped and gives the child up and walks away. He sets out with his grandson to make up for the wrongs he feels he committed with his daughter. Robert Bailey Jr. Stands out as a twelve year old finding himself and where he belongs. As someone else said Patty Duke's character is rather lost which is unfortunate. The rest of the cast is just wonderful. This is a wonderful family film that shows a different kind of family and one more true to real life rather than fiction.
Another Hallmark great
bookandcandle4 March 2014
Hallmark has done it again with another great TV movie. Thank you Hallmark for making this film.
I love this heartwarming, redemptive story about a family that faces trials, yet works things out in the end and that put a smile on my face. The acting was excellent and the movie was enjoyable. I watch this movie over and over every time it is on.
I gave it a 10 because it is one of Hallmark's best movies. It was exciting to the end and the performances by all the actors were outstanding. They are all seasoned actors. This movie will go down as a Hallmark classic. I hope you will love it too.
I love this heartwarming, redemptive story about a family that faces trials, yet works things out in the end and that put a smile on my face. The acting was excellent and the movie was enjoyable. I watch this movie over and over every time it is on.
I gave it a 10 because it is one of Hallmark's best movies. It was exciting to the end and the performances by all the actors were outstanding. They are all seasoned actors. This movie will go down as a Hallmark classic. I hope you will love it too.
A Realistic and Harshly Told Story
drippan-117 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
If you are looking for a typical Hallmark 'love love, joy joy' movie, this is not it. The writing and actions taken by each of the characters is very realistic with none of them pulling punches to make the other characters feel better.
The story starts with a grandfather who adopts his grandson shortly after his estrange daughter gave birth. This separation was due to her getting pregnant and he became upset because he worked his entire life to send her to college.
The story advances 12 years where it is seen the grandfather is becoming sick and the boy is shown to be a hard worker helping him out as much as possible. The boy's great aunt comes for a visit and shows the grandfather a newspaper clipping of his daughter becoming a child advocate judge. The grandfather tells his grandson and shows him the clipping of his mother. The boy has no wish to go and see her but the grandfather insists.
Once in LA, the grandfather is taken deathly ill and needs a pacemaker installed. The boy, knowing his grandfather wants to see his daughter, goes to the court house and gets her to come to the hospital without revealing who he is or whom they are going to see. Upon discovering it is her father and that the boy is her son, she walks away without saying a word.
The daughter agrees to meet with her father where she still doesn't want anything to do with him. She then speaks to her son. She discovers that he doesn't care about her in the least just like it appears she does not care for her father or for him.
The next scene is the pivotal scene of the movie. The father and grandson walk into an empty courtroom where she is working late. The boy is taken for a drink by the daughter's clerk. The father and daughter pick up the same argument that started 12 years earlier, neither one budging an inch on their stance. It is then revealed by the daughter that the pregnancy happened because of rape and that she gave up her son because of the emotional flashbacks she had to that night but also to protect the boy from finding out how he was conceived.
The ending is not your typical Hallmark ending. The mother tells the son about the rape and assures him that he is not going to turn out like his father. The boy takes this in then walks into the house without any sentiment to his mother. The grandfather and boy go back to the ranch. Although we don't know the amount of time that has past, we see the mother pull up in her car. Her son walks up to her where she kisses him on the head and he finally hugs her.
This movie had some strong emotional characters to it. The father angry at his daughter for getting pregnant but then adopts the son. The mother dealing with being raped then looking out for her child by placing him up for adoption. The 12 year old son who uncaring attitude towards his mother is finally cracked when he learns the truth of what she has been through and why she did it.
The reunion at the end shows a family that has just started the mending process. The forgiveness is there but you can still feel the hurt that the last 12 years have brought. We don't know if the boy will ever call her mom or if she will truly forgive her father but that isn't what this story is about. It is about anger and hurt in a family that has lasted a long time. It is about how actions of the parents can sway a child's life forever be it for the child's good or bad. It reveals the emotional trauma caused by rape and a pregnancy by rape.
Like I said before, the writing is very strong and harsh but none of it masked the true feelings they had for each other. No lies were told to protect each other or themselves from the pain. The biggest compliment is that each characters emotional feelings were very true to form especially the mother who wanted to physically and emotionally block out the pain the rape has caused her.
The story starts with a grandfather who adopts his grandson shortly after his estrange daughter gave birth. This separation was due to her getting pregnant and he became upset because he worked his entire life to send her to college.
The story advances 12 years where it is seen the grandfather is becoming sick and the boy is shown to be a hard worker helping him out as much as possible. The boy's great aunt comes for a visit and shows the grandfather a newspaper clipping of his daughter becoming a child advocate judge. The grandfather tells his grandson and shows him the clipping of his mother. The boy has no wish to go and see her but the grandfather insists.
Once in LA, the grandfather is taken deathly ill and needs a pacemaker installed. The boy, knowing his grandfather wants to see his daughter, goes to the court house and gets her to come to the hospital without revealing who he is or whom they are going to see. Upon discovering it is her father and that the boy is her son, she walks away without saying a word.
The daughter agrees to meet with her father where she still doesn't want anything to do with him. She then speaks to her son. She discovers that he doesn't care about her in the least just like it appears she does not care for her father or for him.
The next scene is the pivotal scene of the movie. The father and grandson walk into an empty courtroom where she is working late. The boy is taken for a drink by the daughter's clerk. The father and daughter pick up the same argument that started 12 years earlier, neither one budging an inch on their stance. It is then revealed by the daughter that the pregnancy happened because of rape and that she gave up her son because of the emotional flashbacks she had to that night but also to protect the boy from finding out how he was conceived.
The ending is not your typical Hallmark ending. The mother tells the son about the rape and assures him that he is not going to turn out like his father. The boy takes this in then walks into the house without any sentiment to his mother. The grandfather and boy go back to the ranch. Although we don't know the amount of time that has past, we see the mother pull up in her car. Her son walks up to her where she kisses him on the head and he finally hugs her.
This movie had some strong emotional characters to it. The father angry at his daughter for getting pregnant but then adopts the son. The mother dealing with being raped then looking out for her child by placing him up for adoption. The 12 year old son who uncaring attitude towards his mother is finally cracked when he learns the truth of what she has been through and why she did it.
The reunion at the end shows a family that has just started the mending process. The forgiveness is there but you can still feel the hurt that the last 12 years have brought. We don't know if the boy will ever call her mom or if she will truly forgive her father but that isn't what this story is about. It is about anger and hurt in a family that has lasted a long time. It is about how actions of the parents can sway a child's life forever be it for the child's good or bad. It reveals the emotional trauma caused by rape and a pregnancy by rape.
Like I said before, the writing is very strong and harsh but none of it masked the true feelings they had for each other. No lies were told to protect each other or themselves from the pain. The biggest compliment is that each characters emotional feelings were very true to form especially the mother who wanted to physically and emotionally block out the pain the rape has caused her.
Affirmative Action Judge
rsternesq16 August 2009
Well if one can go from being in college to being a full-fledged judge with everyone very excited about you in only twelve short years, with at least three of those years spent in law school, then what can't you do? Being a mom to a half grown boy who is already just about raised and just about perfect should be a piece of cake. What a waste of everyone's time and talent. BTW, the kid is so cute, if she isn't convinced, I'll take him. No problem. Tell Grandpa the kid was right the first time and that the aunt and uncle would do in a pinch. Heck, I'd prefer the vet from the diner in terms of human warmth to the frozen judgette.
Such a good, emotional story, worth seeing!!
butterflylarita26 April 2020
This is such a good story, with such good acting!! I have always enjoyed Ving Rhames, and Gloria Reuben, both great actors! And I'm so glad to see that today, Robert Bailey Jr. is still acting!
I had never seen, or remember this being on, and I'm so glad I found it on Directv! For the movie to go through each character's feelings, to finally reveal the main reasons at the end, made it all the better!! I highly recommend this to be watched, for a movie you won't forget!!! Plus that's my kind of ending!!!
Nothing pleasant about this movie
cindybuell4 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I'd like to preface this review that the actors and acting were superb.
The "Little John" movie looked nice enough, seeming to be a good-feeling movie with her dad adopting her illegitimate child, but little is uplifting while it dropped the rape bombshell 3/4 of the way through, demonstrating the essence of a no-win scenario. It then ends with a simple "resolution" and that's it - no real good-feeling about it, giving absolutely nothing pleasant through the movie on which to focus (except a little jazz music).
I found it disturbing that the daughter who idolized her father so much couldn't confide in him about her rape when it happened, which would have prevented any estrangement in the first place, and then she judged him for reacting on only what he did know (about 1/4 of the truth). I think this is unrealistic if she truly idolized him - even in the face of rape. I know, she was traumatized . . .
Even though she wanted nothing to do with him, he tried to support her by taking LJ in only to find out that, had she been truthful with him, he might have made a different decision in the best interest of the her and the child. The truth is always best-said, no matter how painful. Of course, this may be reality, but why would "Hollywood" consider it entertaining to watch?
I watch movies to brighten my life and take my mind off my own trauma. This movie was unpleasant, disturbing, and all four of us watching just looked at each other in the end and commented, "Really?! It wasn't a chick-flick, it wasn't a guy movie, nor was it a feel-good movie, so what was it!" It actually rather ruined our up-to-that-point pleasant day (and 1/2 my night's sleep). I can't recommend it - obviously.
The "Little John" movie looked nice enough, seeming to be a good-feeling movie with her dad adopting her illegitimate child, but little is uplifting while it dropped the rape bombshell 3/4 of the way through, demonstrating the essence of a no-win scenario. It then ends with a simple "resolution" and that's it - no real good-feeling about it, giving absolutely nothing pleasant through the movie on which to focus (except a little jazz music).
I found it disturbing that the daughter who idolized her father so much couldn't confide in him about her rape when it happened, which would have prevented any estrangement in the first place, and then she judged him for reacting on only what he did know (about 1/4 of the truth). I think this is unrealistic if she truly idolized him - even in the face of rape. I know, she was traumatized . . .
Even though she wanted nothing to do with him, he tried to support her by taking LJ in only to find out that, had she been truthful with him, he might have made a different decision in the best interest of the her and the child. The truth is always best-said, no matter how painful. Of course, this may be reality, but why would "Hollywood" consider it entertaining to watch?
I watch movies to brighten my life and take my mind off my own trauma. This movie was unpleasant, disturbing, and all four of us watching just looked at each other in the end and commented, "Really?! It wasn't a chick-flick, it wasn't a guy movie, nor was it a feel-good movie, so what was it!" It actually rather ruined our up-to-that-point pleasant day (and 1/2 my night's sleep). I can't recommend it - obviously.
Heartwarming
evenhoused4 March 2018
A family with a painful interpersonal past attempts to reconcile and forgive. It is realistically difficult but demonstrates the need and value of facing past issues fully, painful or not. Hallmark has given another great movie. Acting is very good. Patty Duke has a small role, performs it well and proves that great actresses just love to act, especially if it is a story worth telling. Those who dislike the movie because she has a small role need to realize that is beside the point and it was her decision to make.
Patty Duke is wasted!
Karadago1 June 2002
What a horrible sin to waste the talents of this Oscar and Emmy-winning actress! In a storyline that is barely passable in itself (what 12 year old kid acts as perfect as little John does???) Duke is merely scenery as law clerk for Reuben. Her screen time is limited, as it was in her last Hallmark film, A Season for Miracles (1999) but at least in that one her character was an important aspect of the story. Here she is simply window dressing. What ever happened to the days when she was starring in gorgeous Hallmark productions such as Harvest of Fire (96) and A Christmas Memory (97) both of which she should have received Emmy nods for.
On the other hand, Ving Rhames does all he can in his role as the grandfather, but Gloria Reuben probably needs to have her acting phoned in for her, as it looks like she is reciting them from a teleprompter or something - no feeling, just words.
And the ending absolutely sucks. It plays it safe once again, when one of the few redeeming assets of the movie was how the mother-son reunion was not written from a Hallmark card, but much more real. In the end everything is a mess and the reader sits there wondering why he or she just wasted 2 hours of their time.
My score: 5/10
On the other hand, Ving Rhames does all he can in his role as the grandfather, but Gloria Reuben probably needs to have her acting phoned in for her, as it looks like she is reciting them from a teleprompter or something - no feeling, just words.
And the ending absolutely sucks. It plays it safe once again, when one of the few redeeming assets of the movie was how the mother-son reunion was not written from a Hallmark card, but much more real. In the end everything is a mess and the reader sits there wondering why he or she just wasted 2 hours of their time.
My score: 5/10
Interesting
myspecialparadise1 January 2013
This movie has a powerhouse of seasoned actors. Unfortunately, the scripting left more to be desired, and miscasting is quite evident when it comes to Patty Duke! Don't get me wrong, I like Patty (Anna Marie), but this role was a no fit! Patty Duke is way above that role, which was placid, sweet, and totally boring! On the other hand ... it was nice to see her looking so good ... in 2002 ... but a wallflower she is not! The story pretty much stinks with contradictions in the role of Little John's mother, played by Gloria Reuben. Another fine actress wasting her time with this movie. First, she appears too young to have the position she has acquired as a Judge. And, being a Judge that makes extremely important decisions in regards to abused children ... and, basically, having done the same thing by abandoning her own baby ... is totally crapola! Her role, as already said, was ridiculous and contradictory of her own inner qualities. Plus, the idea that she never told her father that she was raped is highly improbable! Anyone, having their own father telling them that he was disappointed in her because she allowed herself to become pregnant ... would ... scream RAPE! Its a matter of self-preservation when it comes to a child being scorn by a parent for something he, or she, had no control of. Emotional reflex! Ving Rhames ... I don't dare say anything against him ... we share the same birthday. Frankly, this a a seasoned actor and did a great job with his part ... but, alas, he was also miscast! Ving Rhames is like an action hero ... volatile, somewhat like Patty Duke, that bites the reins in most of his roles. So, basically, what I am saying here is this ... the cast was subdued ... sat in a chair and had the hands tied behind their backs ... like alka seltzer without the fizz! One keeps waiting for the high dramatics, which Patty and Ving are loved for, but all we get is a two day old flat soda ... a bore.
As for the main character ... same goes here also. When you see this little kid take care of his grandpa ... and drive this truck to a diner for help ... you think ... this is going to be a winner! Wrong! The bottom line is this ... a lot of good actors were hired to waste their time developing a loser that is beneath every one of them! The acting was quite good, all around, but it was still a bore!
As for the main character ... same goes here also. When you see this little kid take care of his grandpa ... and drive this truck to a diner for help ... you think ... this is going to be a winner! Wrong! The bottom line is this ... a lot of good actors were hired to waste their time developing a loser that is beneath every one of them! The acting was quite good, all around, but it was still a bore!
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