In the Best Interest of the Children (1992) on Netflix
Callie Cain, pregnant, moves to her Iowa hometown with her daughters and boyfriend Ray Jacobs. She refuses treatment for bipolar disorder; Jessi, her oldest, cares for the younger children.
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- Netflix3.5/5
- IMDb7.0/10562 votes
- Rotten TomatoesNot available
Trailer
Plot summary
Callie Cain returns to Estherville, Iowa, the town she grew up in, with her four daughters and her boyfriend Ray Jacobs, and another baby on the way. Her brother John Birney and his wife Wanda offer help; Ray shows no interest in working, and Callie turns down Wanda's suggestion of further treatment for her bipolar disorder. Money runs out, and the oldest child, Jessi, takes on the care of her sisters Julie, Susan and Cindy and her brother Jason. Ray leaves. Persuaded that Callie's problems are serious, Wanda alerts the authorities, and social worker Donna Evans comes to the house. Callie agrees to treatment only if John and Wanda are not given custody. Her children are placed with Patty and Harlan Pepper instead.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about In the Best Interest of the Children (1992)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- The real-life case behind the film raised enough public consciousness that the Iowa State Legislature subsequently enacted new laws regarding the rights of foster children.
- In the real case, the children the film was based on were adopted by their aunt and uncle and kept visiting their mother often, though she was still battling mental illness.
