''America'' is a 2009 American
made-for-television
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
directed by
Yves Simoneau
Yves Simoneau (; born October 28, 1955) is a Canadian film and television director.
Simoneau was born in Quebec City, Quebec.
Recognition
His acclaimed 1986 crime drama '' Intimate Power (Pouvoir intime)'' garnered multiple Genie Awards nominat ...
and starring
Rosie O'Donnell
Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American talk show host, comedian, and actress. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series ''Star Search'' in 1984. After a series of television ...
,
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee (born Ruby Ann Wallace; October 27, 1922 – June 11, 2014) was an American actress. She was married to Ossie Davis, with whom she frequently performed until his death in 2005. She received numerous accolades, including an Emmy Award, ...
and
Philip Johnson
Philip Cortelyou Johnson (July 8, 1906 – January 25, 2005) was an American architect who designed modern and postmodern architecture. Among his best-known designs are his modernist Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut; the postmodern 550 ...
. It was written by
Joyce Eliason
Joyce Eliason (May 14, 1934 – January 10, 2022) was an American television writer and producer. She was best known for writing TV miniseries including ''Titanic'' and ''The Last Don'', and for the TV film '' The Jacksons: An American Dream''. E ...
. The film is based on the
young adult
In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...
novel
A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...
''America'' by
E. R. Frank. It premiered on February 28, 2009, on
Lifetime.
Plot
A
biracial
The term multiracial people refers to people who are mixed with two or more
races and the term multi-ethnic people refers to people who are of more than one ethnicities. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mul ...
17-year-old boy named America, who has experienced a difficult life of
foster care
Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home ( residential child care community or treatment centre), or private home of a state- certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent", or with a family mem ...
and
sexual abuse
Sexual abuse or sex abuse is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using physical force, or by taking advantage of another. It often consists of a persistent pattern of sexual assaults. The offender is re ...
, undergoes
counseling
Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes.
This is a list of c ...
with
psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...
Maureen Brennan to help him come to terms with his painful past of childhood trauma, including growing up with and abandoned by a mother suffering from drug addiction and being shuffled through a series of foster homes including the Harpers. The film starts with Dr. Brennan at a group home where she is giving a small introduction about the outlook for most of the group home children's futures. A young America, emotionally vacant and suicidal, comes to the attention of Brennan. When Dr. Brennan tries to talk to America, he refuses to give her any answers about his childhood. Eventually Dr. Brennan helps him understand his troubled past in order to find the courage to move on and survive. Helps him to forgive and forget, in order to be able to move forward in life.
Cast
*
Philip Johnson
Philip Cortelyou Johnson (July 8, 1906 – January 25, 2005) was an American architect who designed modern and postmodern architecture. Among his best-known designs are his modernist Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut; the postmodern 550 ...
as America
*
Rosie O'Donnell
Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American talk show host, comedian, and actress. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series ''Star Search'' in 1984. After a series of television ...
as Dr. Maureen Brennan
*
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee (born Ruby Ann Wallace; October 27, 1922 – June 11, 2014) was an American actress. She was married to Ossie Davis, with whom she frequently performed until his death in 2005. She received numerous accolades, including an Emmy Award, ...
as Mrs. Harper
*Tim Rhoze as Reggie Harper
*Toya Turner as America's Mother/Susana
*
Raquel Castro
Raquel Castro (born November 17, 1994) is an American actress and singer. She is known for starring in the 2004 film '' Jersey Girl'' as Gertie Trinké, the daughter of Ollie Trinké (Ben Affleck) and Gertrude Steiney (Jennifer Lopez), for which ...
as Liza
*
Jade Yorker
Jade Scott Yorker is an American actor of film and television. Among his TV credits are '' Cosby'', ''Third Watch'' and ''Law & Order''. His most famous role is the role of William "Willie" Weathers in ''Gridiron Gang''.
He grew up in Manalapan ...
as Brooklyn
*Dante Brown as Young Brooklyn (6 years old)
*Michael Algieri as Young America (6 years old)
*Nikolas Zilafro as a Young Boy
*
Logan Huffman 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
David Aron Damane is an American actor and writer. He made his television debut on '' Cosby'', followed by roles on ''Law & Order'', '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', '' Chicago P.D.'', '' Jett'', and ''Dynasty''. In 2020, he was nominat ...
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
''America'' premiered on
Lifetime Television
Lifetime is an American basic cable channel that is part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a subsidiary of A&E Networks, which is jointly owned by Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company. It features programming that is geared toward ...
on February 28, 2009 against critical acclaim and was repeated on March 1 and 3, 2009 on the same channel.
Its showing also led to public discussion about the system of foster care. Rosie O'Donnell explained the dilemma of "aging 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.
Rosie O'Donnell and Ruby Dee on Tyra Banks Show on February 27, 2009
/ref>
DVD
The DVD of the film was released on September 1, 2009.
''America'' (2002 novel)
The film is based on ''America'', a young adult
In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...
novel
A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...
written by E.R. Frank. It tells the story of America, a fifteen-year-old biracial
The term multiracial people refers to people who are mixed with two or more
races and the term multi-ethnic people refers to people who are of more than one ethnicities. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mul ...
boy who had gotten lost in the system. The author of the book, E.R. Frank, is herself a social work
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...
er. In an author's note at the end of the book, she says she has worked with many Americas over the years.
References
External links
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{{Yves Simoneau
2009 television films
2009 films
2009 drama films
Films based on American novels
2000s English-language films
Films directed by Yves Simoneau
Films scored by Normand Corbeil
Lifetime (TV channel) films
Sony Pictures films
American drama television films
2000s American films