Movieo
Poster for Children of a Lesser God

Children of a Lesser God

Love has a language all of its own.

1986 · 1h 59m · R Drama, Romance
Directed by Randa Haines

Seen it?

Overview

Starting his new job as an instructor at a New England school for the deaf, James Leeds meets Sarah Norman, a young deaf woman who works at the school as a member of the custodial staff. In spite of Sarah's withdrawn emotional state, a romance slowly develops between the pair.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
81%
Tomatometer
Fresh

Children of a Lesser God, though given a handsome openness in Director Haines' production, cannot transcend the banalities of the play. But Matlin does. She is, one might say, a miracle worker.

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine
Rotten

Hurt seems to be bucking for at least two Oscar nominations here: one for his performance, the other for best echo effects by an interpreter of signed speech.

Pat Graham, Chicago Reader
Fresh

A touching and universal love story.

Variety Staff, Variety
Fresh

A genuinely touching love story and a clever gloss on the barriers and extensions of language.

Stephen Garrett, Time Out
Rotten

There's scarcely a single moment in it that seems to be spontaneous.

Vincent Canby, New York Times

Comments

Talk about the film with other members

More films