On behalf of Ronald H. Kauffman, P.A. posted in Child Custody on Sunday, September 30, 2012.
As a matrimonial attorney, I don’t much care for movies about child custody cases. I’d seen, but didn’t like, Kramer v. Kramer, Falling Down, and Intolerable Cruelty. I just don’t think custody battles make for good film. Talk to Strangers proved me wrong. You can see the trailer here.
Clients are often surprised to learn that divorce attorneys and judges don’t usually see the children in the divorce process. This means that we sometimes become immune to its impact on children. Talk to Strangers corrects this problem. It looks and feels realistic, shows you the custody evaluation process from the children’s perspective, and comes with a guide for clients. It’s a short, dramatic mockumentary of the custody process meant for its teaching value. Anyone who is involved in the process will learn something, but the movie seems to be aimed primarily at clients.
This is a good movie to watch. First of all, it’s short, coming in at around 25 minutes. Its film locations, a suburban Connecticut home and cold courthouse, make the movie very convincing. The acting is good and professional, especially the brother and older sister, who do a great job portraying the deteriorating relationship with their parents and each other. All the performances are good. In a closing scene, the parents are shown a video of themselves confidently predicting how great their children will do at the end of the process because they are going to work so hard at it. You’ll want to cry.
Tell your clients who have any interest in fighting a tough custody battle to buy this short movie first (it’s probably the cheapest way to settle a custody battle). Oh, and tell them to bring tissues.