Oh my God


Oh my God. This was a powerful movie. Having worked child welfare in rural Georgia; I could totally relate to the frustration that Robert's principal was feeling. I got so angry at that grandmonster during the "therapeutic holding" incident, I wanted to drive to Eupora and whip Mamaw's ass. I was very skeptical of the mother, Robanna, but had to admit that the boys seemed much more at ease in her home. The ending was a lot better than I expected. Still though, I cried through the whole thing. That boy has a very hard life ahead of him. His face will be on my mind for a long time.

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I know what you mean. I've been thinking about those boys every day since I saw this film. I agree with you. If you're headed down that way, let me know. I'll come help you kick Mamaw's ass. I think we could take her. She's got bad legs.


Be still...

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I just watched this on HBO and agree with you both . This is a true horror movie . I wonder if there is any update available on the situation . Mamaw is a freak .

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Folks, you will never believe this:

According to an interview posted on Salon.com, Rory Kennedy provides some limited follow up for Robert, RobAnna, and Anna. Robert is doing well and is still in scouts. He has switched schools, again, but seems to be adjusting well. Mom, Robanna, has published a book of poetry (Go to Google and type in "robanna fason") and will begin her travels to promote the book in a few months. MaMaw, Anna, was hospitalized in a psychiatric facility and now attends an outpatient mental health clinic. Kennedy reports that MaMaw has improved and does spend some time with the boys. (Much to Robert's dismay, I am sure)

I checked out RobAnna's poems and they are pretty simplistic, but still, anything that brings income into Robert's house is good. I am really hoping for a follow up as well.

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I started watching it about half way through. All if have to say is: That woman is a psycho. and they wonder why he is like he is. The scene where he is in the therapy office and the bitch is talking about "what would you do if you had a knife" and crazy stuff like that. she is obviously corrupting that boy's mind. on a side note, she needs go to the damned dentist.
-----------------------------------
"We're going to the mall" Michael, -Dawn of the Dead 2004

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No kidding about the teeth!! She looked like she had one large chunk of tooth stuck up there. Funny thing is, her daughter was missing several teeth. A memorable line in the movie was, "Well, when I get my teeth, I'm gone go to law school." Typical mindset.

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Okay, there was actually a scene in the movie that made me laugh. The "laying on of hands" scene. When Mamaw asked Robanna if she felt better and she replied that her head hurt - too funny. Then Mamaw asked her if she'd been smoking the whole time - I lost it. I guess we needed a little comic relief about that time.

Be still...

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OH MY GAWD!!!!! I could NOT stop laffing at that scene. Mammaw is "putting hands" on her "baby girl", daughter, Robanna, and Mammaw had both of her hands on top of her daughter's head while praying to Jesus, that Jesus please take all of her physical problems away, etc. and kept holding her hands on her head and when finished she asked her daughter, "Do you feel better?" and her daughter says, "Now my head hurts." I JUST ABOUT FELL OFF OF THE SOFA LAFFIN'!! OMG.....I live in Kentucky, Louisville (born and raised here) and we are called "the south", but no, nothing compared to these folks. I guess I'm what they call "city folk", citified! LOL. But this documentary was very interesting and very sad. Rory Kennedy also did that documentary about Appalachia. You think this was sad, you ought to watch that sometime. O-mi-gosh. It was something else, about a whole family like 3 generations I believe it was. Okay, that's all. Thanks.

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mamow is so messed up...when she tries healing robanna, what the hell was she thinking and giving robert a gun where the bullets are right on top of a dresser in plain view she really needs to check herself into a mental hospital...oh and on roberts 8th birthday when she was complaining how she feels useless because she cant take care of robert anymore because shes been taking care of him for 9 years but she cant anymore she is simply retarded

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Well then, you know where Harlan County is don't you? I was born there, actually went to school in Bell County for first grade and part of second until we moved. I thought maybe it was Kentucky as I didn't see the beginning of this film, until I saw the flat land and swamps, then I kind of breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't in Appalachia.

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I think the therapist hit it right on the head, and this is the possibly the only time we have ever seen a version (albeit a weird one,) of Munchausen by proxy first hand, over an extended period. Mamaw pulled her sh*t with the patience and consistence of an SS officer, didn't she? That element was most disturbing to me; she was absolutely convinced of her own righteousness. It must have been difficult keep quiet and objective while filming something like this.

"Gregariousness is the death of art." -Truman Capote

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I agree Mamaw is evil. I might have had to choke her if I'd been the director. Robert is really bright in spite of being brought up by a psycho and simpleton. I'm glad he is at least in a better situation and Mamaw is getting some help. She needed it.

Does anyone know if the social worker has appeared in any other documentaries? She looks very familiar.


"All my smiles, are gettin' in the hate generation's way." -Wayne Coyne

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When I first saw this film, the first thing I thanked God for was the social programs in place to help this family. There are far too many people in this country (USA) that have this "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" mentality, even though without the social help of the Human Services and the doctor, the mother would never have the confidance to even get the bootws, let alone have the bootstraps. If this country were to cut all social programs, this poor child would still be under the wrath of that grandmother. So many people call these programs socialism, but really, it is the safety net that gives children like Robert and his emotionally abused mothers Robanna a chance at a normal life.

I was a teacher and often had children in very similar situations in my classrooms. I get very emotional when I see events like these unfold. Rory Kennedy did an excellent job showing the reality that many people in this coutry refuse to believe. This should be manadatory viewing for all Americans. I bet we'd never hear the wrongly-labeled term "socialism" again. Perhaps mandatory before voting, too.

Now, excuse me while I step down off my soapbox, grab a tissue and dry my eyes.

T

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I know the grandmother seems kind of crazy, but you have to understand their life. They are poor and uneducated and have nothing. She has mental problems. I think she truly does love the boy but just doesnt know how to care for him the right way. The entire time i was watching this movie I felt so bad for everyone in it. The grandmother, the mother, the little brother, and especially Robert. I actually know a boy who acts similiar to Robert. Its so sad because Robert is SO smart and intelligent but doesnt get the attention and love he deserves. He deserves a better family life. Its a shame that so many young kids are raised that way. What i got the most angry about was when the grandmother, Memaw, said that Robert has killed 3 or 4 cats and 3 or 4 dogs. WTF, STOP GIVING HIM PETS THEN!!!!!!!!! That part really pissed me off. Those poor animals dont deserve to be tortured because of that woman. Its not Roberts fault, but the grandmothers because she keeps getting him more pets and she doesnt teach him the right way to treat animals. Just a very sad and depressing movie. I really loved it though, it touched me in a very deep way.

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Bad teeth.
Bad English.
Bad parenting.
Spandex.
Marloboro t-shirts.

Great family. God this docu-whatever made me mad. Grrrr.

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I noticed that part, too, that it was his 8th birthday, yet she claimed to have been raising him for 9 years. OMG, I laughed.

About killing the animals, and when Anna had to be hospitalized because Robert supposedly kicked her legs-- I don't believe Robert did any of that. Or if he did kick her legs, she probably provoked him until he did it and was probably holding him and wouldn't let him go, like earlier in the film. I think Anna(mammaw) killed those cats and dogs and doesn't remember it because she's psychotic.

My mother used to have a friend who was very much like that and she used to destroy stuff around her house and then was paranoid because she was convinced someone was breaking in. No one was breaking in, but she didn't remember destroying the stuff herself because she was having a psychotic episode at the time. I think this is what the social worker was getting at when she told Robert she didn't think he was the one who hurt Mammaw's legs.




"You can't tell me nothin' if you ain't had an 8-track." -Sinbad

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I caught the nine years thing too,but I assumed she meant that because she took care of Robanna when she was pregnant with Robert. Living in Kentucky, I know of people who look exactly like them with similar problems. I think it comes with the simple life, who knows? I think no one killed the cats and dogs...I think they might have just ran off like animals sometimes do. Anyway, this documentary was very very good!

♡

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I think the animals killed themselves, rather than live there.

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Write to them here, and they will tell you how you can obtain a copy of the film. No I am not kidding. This is the company that created the film.

http://moxiefirecracker.com

[email protected]

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OH MY GAWD!!!!! I could NOT stop laffing at that scene. Mammaw is "putting hands" on her "baby girl", daughter, Robanna, and Mammaw had both of her hands on top of her daughter's head while praying to Jesus, that Jesus please take all of her physical problems away, etc. and kept holding her hands on her head and when finished she asked her daughter, "Do you feel better?" and her daughter says, "Now my head hurts." I JUST ABOUT FELL OFF OF THE SOFA LAFFIN'!! OMG.....I live in Kentucky, Louisville (born and raised here) and we are called "the south", but no, nothing compared to these folks. I guess I'm what they call "city folk", citified! LOL. But this documentary was very interesting and very sad. Rory Kennedy also did that documentary about Appalachia. You think this was sad, you ought to watch that sometime. O-mi-gosh. It was something else, about a whole family like 3 generations I believe it was. Okay, that's all. Thanks.


No problem!

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