I watched the movie “Out Of My Mind” tonight, which is now streaming of Disney Plus. The movie was adapted from a novel by Sharon Draper, who is a Cincinnati teacher who became an author. While the novel and movie are fictional, they were said to be inspired by real-life events.
The characters featured may not have been real people, but the movie confronts a topic that unfolds in school classrooms, hallways and cafeterias every day: they way some students are treated, especially the ones who are a little bit different.
Melody was a brilliant person who didn’t have a voice. She has cerebral palsy, which has left her confined to a wheelchair and non-verbal. She had a board on which she could point to words or pictures to help her communicate. These things were not a substitute for being able to convey the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that were constantly running through Melody’s mind.
Through a new and very expensive device, Melody finally has something that is capable of helping her communicate on a much higher level. That’s not to stay there aren’t still obstacles in her way. Melody is met by people judging her wherever she turns, including her peers and even the teachers in the school. Finally, an opportunity presents itself that would allow Melody to prove her worth to everyone, something she should have never had to do in the first place. Even then, she has to battle with the school’s faculty and administrators, to get the chances she deserves. In doing so, Melody learns to believe in herself and advocate for herself.
This really is an inspiring movie that is good for the entire family.