America (2009 film)
Encyclopedia
America is a 2009 Lifetime Television
film starring Rosie O’Donnell, Ruby Dee
and Philip Johnson
. It was directed by Yves Simoneau
and written by Joyce Eliason. The film is based on the young adult
novel
America by E.R. Frank
.
), who has experienced a difficult life of foster care
and sexual abuse
, undergoes counseling
with psychiatrist
Maureen Brennan (Rosie O'Donnell
) to help him come to terms with his painful past of childhood trauma, including growing up with a crack-addicted mother (Toya Turner) and being shuffled through a series of foster homes including the Harpers (with Mrs. Harper played by Ruby Dee
and Reggie Harper by Tim Rhoze). The film starts with Maureen Brennan (Rosie O'Donnel) is at a group home where she is giving a small introduction about outlook for most of the group home children's future (they end living on the streets, in jail, or dead). A young America, emotionally vacant and suicidal, comes to the attention Brennan. When she tries to talk to America, he refuses to give her any answers about his childhood. She helps him understand his troubled past in order to find the courage to survive and helps him forgive and forget and move forward..
on February 28, 2009 against critical acclaim and was repeated on March 1 and 3, 2009 on the same channel.
It's showing also led to public deiscussion about the system of foster care. Rosie O'Donnel explained the dilemma of "ageing out of the foster care system" when young people in foster care are left out of the system when they reach 18 (21 in a few U.S. states), as all services are cut. O'Donnel explains that most of these kids end up as homeless or in jail.
novel
written by E.R. Frank
. It tells the story of America, a fifteen-year-old biracial boy who had gotten lost in the system. The author of the book, E.R. Frank, is herself a social work
er. In an author's note at the end of the book, she says she has worked with many Americas over the years.
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
film starring Rosie O’Donnell, Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun and the film American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Early years:Dee was born Ruby...
and Philip Johnson
Philip Johnson (Actor)
Philip Johnson is an American actor from Detroit, Michigan. A 2009 honors graduate of Cass Technical High School, Johnson currently attends the University of Michigan. He played the title character in the 2009 Lifetime Television film America based on the book by E.R. Frank...
. It was directed by Yves Simoneau
Yves Simoneau
Yves Simoneau is a Canadian film and television director.-Recognition:His acclaimed 1987 crime drama Pouvoir intime garnered multiple Genie Awards nominations including best direction at the 8th Genie Awards...
and written by Joyce Eliason. The film is based on the young adult
Young adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
America by E.R. Frank
E.R. Frank
E.R. Frank is an American writer, clinical social worker and psychotherapist. She won the Teen People Book Club NEXT Award for her first novel, 2002's Life Is Funny. Her 2003 novel America was made into a 2009 television movie starring Rosie O'Donnell and Philip Johnson...
.
Plot
A biracial 16-year old boy named America (Philip JohnsonPhilip Johnson (Actor)
Philip Johnson is an American actor from Detroit, Michigan. A 2009 honors graduate of Cass Technical High School, Johnson currently attends the University of Michigan. He played the title character in the 2009 Lifetime Television film America based on the book by E.R. Frank...
), who has experienced a difficult life of foster care
Foster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
and sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
, undergoes counseling
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
with psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Maureen Brennan (Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell
Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
) to help him come to terms with his painful past of childhood trauma, including growing up with a crack-addicted mother (Toya Turner) and being shuffled through a series of foster homes including the Harpers (with Mrs. Harper played by Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun and the film American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Early years:Dee was born Ruby...
and Reggie Harper by Tim Rhoze). The film starts with Maureen Brennan (Rosie O'Donnel) is at a group home where she is giving a small introduction about outlook for most of the group home children's future (they end living on the streets, in jail, or dead). A young America, emotionally vacant and suicidal, comes to the attention Brennan. When she tries to talk to America, he refuses to give her any answers about his childhood. She helps him understand his troubled past in order to find the courage to survive and helps him forgive and forget and move forward..
Cast
- Philip JohnsonPhilip Johnson (Actor)Philip Johnson is an American actor from Detroit, Michigan. A 2009 honors graduate of Cass Technical High School, Johnson currently attends the University of Michigan. He played the title character in the 2009 Lifetime Television film America based on the book by E.R. Frank...
as America - Rosie O'DonnellRosie O'DonnellRoseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
as Dr. Maureen Brennan - Ruby DeeRuby DeeRuby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun and the film American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Early years:Dee was born Ruby...
as Mrs. Harper - Tim Rhoze as Reggie Harper
- Toya Turner as America's Mother/Susana
- Raquel CastroRaquel CastroRaquel Castro is an American teen actress and singer. She is best known for her role in the 2004 film Jersey Girl as Gertie Trinké, the daughter of Ollie Trinké and Gertrude Steiney , the role for which Castro won the Young Artist Award for the Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actress...
as Liza - Jade YorkerJade YorkerJade Yorker is an American actor of film and television. He grew up in Manalapan, New Jersey. He attended the Freehold Performing Arts Center for High School, which furthered his training. Among his TV credits are Cosby, Third Watch and Law & Order...
as Brooklyn - Dante Brown as Young Brookyln (6 years old)
- Michael Algieri as Young America (6 years old)
- Nikolas Zilafro as a Young Boy
- Logan HuffmanLogan HuffmanLogan Huffman is a television actor featured in a major role as the son of the protagonist in the 2009 remake of V. His character is named Tyler Evans.-Personal:...
as Marshall - Shannon Riddick as Teen
- Kyle Clarington as Counselor
- Kojo Asiedu as Don
- Bubba Weiler as Fish
- Courtney Benjamin as Sheriff Romero
- David Aron Damane as Bobby Crisp
- Penny Gibbs as Social Worker
- Doug Hamilton as Judge
- Richard Goteri as Head Cook
- Dave Kilgore as Businessman (uncredited)
- Dalibor Stolevski as Cook (uncredited)
Screening
The moving teledrama film of tragic but ultimately hopeful events of transformative healing based on a novel by E.R. Frank, premiered on Lifetime TelevisionLifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
on February 28, 2009 against critical acclaim and was repeated on March 1 and 3, 2009 on the same channel.
It's showing also led to public deiscussion about the system of foster care. Rosie O'Donnel explained the dilemma of "ageing out of the foster care system" when young people in foster care are left out of the system when they reach 18 (21 in a few U.S. states), as all services are cut. O'Donnel explains that most of these kids end up as homeless or in jail.
Book America
The film is based on America, a young adultYoung adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by E.R. Frank
E.R. Frank
E.R. Frank is an American writer, clinical social worker and psychotherapist. She won the Teen People Book Club NEXT Award for her first novel, 2002's Life Is Funny. Her 2003 novel America was made into a 2009 television movie starring Rosie O'Donnell and Philip Johnson...
. It tells the story of America, a fifteen-year-old biracial boy who had gotten lost in the system. The author of the book, E.R. Frank, is herself a social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
er. In an author's note at the end of the book, she says she has worked with many Americas over the years.