Off And Running (2009)
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87% of critics liked it
(15 reviews) -
76% of users liked it
(141 ratings)
An intimate and earnest examination of race, gender identity, and the definition of "family," this sociological documentary chronicle filters said themes through the eyes of Avery Klein-Cloud, an intelligent and generally well-adjusted teenager from Brooklyn with decidedly unusual… More An intimate and earnest examination of race, gender identity, and the definition of "family," this sociological documentary chronicle filters said themes through the eyes of Avery Klein-Cloud, an intelligent and generally well-adjusted teenager from Brooklyn with decidedly unusual circumstances. Though African-American herself, Avery grew up with two Jewish lesbian foster mothers, who also adopted two boys, one Korean and the other of mixed ethnicity. Encouraged by both mothers to get in touch with her biological mom for the first time, Avery writes a letter to the woman, but this decision sparks a profound identity crisis in Avery and contributes to increasingly disturbing behavior. As she questions who she is, she also begins spending lengthy periods of time away from home, drops out of school, and suffers from feelings of isolation and abandonment -- and her plan to attend university on a track-and-field scholarship seems increasingly unlikely. What therefore commences as a meaningful journey of self-enlightenment regresses into a far more dangerous personal crisis for the young woman. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Directed By
- Nicole Opper, Edward Bianchi
- Genres
- Documentary, Romance, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy, Special Interest
PG-13,
- In Theaters
- Jan 29, 2010 Limited
- Studio
- First Run Features
Critic Reviews
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Ty Burr, Boston Globe
A patient, slightly stiff, often intensely moving portrait of a girl who believes her choices are literally black and white.
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Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
The director, Nicole Opper, makes space for the complexities of transracial adoption without forcing her film into a predetermined, inspirational box.
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V.A. Musetto, New York Post
As the father of an adopted daughter, I was very moved. But the film is so well done that just about anybody will have that feeling.
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Ella Taylor, Village Voice
Opper doesn't angle for a climactic group hug, but she sticks around long enough to allow us to exhale while this intelligent young woman begins to set herself, quite literally, back on track.
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Dennis Harvey, Variety
What at first looks like a heartwarming portrait of a highly blended modern family turns into a no less engrossing illustration of that situation's possible pitfalls in Off and Running.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
- Avery Klein-Cloud
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Cyndi Lauper
as Cyd Morse
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David Keith
as Jack Cornett
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Jose Perez
as J.W. (Woody) Vilela
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Anita Morris
as Florence
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Richard Belzer
as Milt Zoloth
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Nancy Duerr
as Yuppie Wife
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Hazen Gifford
as John K. Sasser
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Linda Hart
as Gina Pompelli
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Jodie Wilson
as Hostess
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Mark Harris
as Shriner
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Harold Bergman
as Sy
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Mark Dana
as April
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Tony Jones
as Curtis Valentine
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Tim Hawkins
as Banjo Man
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George Richards
as Auctioneer
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Tracy Roberts
as Patti
