This is a movie adaptation of the true story of Gypsy Rose and Dedee Blanchard, who are little Esme and her big mama Camille "Cam" Stoller in the film.
The time is 2013, and the place is Joplin Missouri. Cam Stoller has kept little daughter Esme is a perpetually infantile state, making the child believe that she is a cripple and an invalid battling cancer. In fact the child is normal but held hostage by her controlling mama. Cam is able to fool the kind neighbors, Alan and Denise, as well as to dupe her estranged husband. If the medical professionals become suspicious, Cam takes the kid to another doctor.
Despite the excellent performances, especially Marcia Gay Harden as the super control freak mama, the film dragged and was repetitive with long scenes in the discount store, getting food stamps, dealing the doctors, and acquiring expensive meds that the child did not need. It was as if the filmmakers could not find enough dramatic material to sustain interest, and relied on shooting the film from the two perspectives of the mother and daughter.
In this harrowing tale, one can only feel for the Esme character and her real-life counterpart Gypsy. The child had been conditioned to believe that she needed her mother in order to survive. Much like a kidnap victim, Espe was welded to her mother. It took great courage even to make the effort to flee her captive situation.
The time is 2013, and the place is Joplin Missouri. Cam Stoller has kept little daughter Esme is a perpetually infantile state, making the child believe that she is a cripple and an invalid battling cancer. In fact the child is normal but held hostage by her controlling mama. Cam is able to fool the kind neighbors, Alan and Denise, as well as to dupe her estranged husband. If the medical professionals become suspicious, Cam takes the kid to another doctor.
Despite the excellent performances, especially Marcia Gay Harden as the super control freak mama, the film dragged and was repetitive with long scenes in the discount store, getting food stamps, dealing the doctors, and acquiring expensive meds that the child did not need. It was as if the filmmakers could not find enough dramatic material to sustain interest, and relied on shooting the film from the two perspectives of the mother and daughter.
In this harrowing tale, one can only feel for the Esme character and her real-life counterpart Gypsy. The child had been conditioned to believe that she needed her mother in order to survive. Much like a kidnap victim, Espe was welded to her mother. It took great courage even to make the effort to flee her captive situation.