As a parent and spouse of adoptees, the author found the portrayal of adoption in the recent Garfield movie to be deeply troubling. With November being National Adoptee Awareness Month, the author felt compelled to shed light on the movie's shortcomings in addressing the complex and sensitive issues faced by the adoption community.

Exploring the Emotional Landscape of Adoption Through the Lens of a Beloved Feline

Adoption as a Narrative Device: Missed Opportunities and Unintended Consequences

Hollywood has long relied on adoption as a narrative device in family-oriented films, with movies like Annie, Stuart Little, Matilda, and Meet the Robinsons exploring the topic to varying degrees. While these films have attempted to tackle the complexities of adoption, the author argues that the Garfield movie falls short in its handling of the subject matter. The vast majority of the story is centered on Garfield's reunion with his biological father, Vic, whom he believed had abandoned him as a child. The movie's portrayal of this reunion, however, left the author feeling shocked and saddened, particularly the way it played out Garfield's discovery that his father had been secretly observing him all along.The author acknowledges that not everyone may be in the headspace to understand the impact of such a storyline on adoptees. It's a common misconception that as long as the adopted child ends up in a safe and loving environment, the past should be irrelevant. However, the author emphasizes that the early separation from one's biological parents can have profound and lasting effects on an individual's brain development and emotional well-being, impacting everything from relationships to everyday interactions.

Exploring the Emotional Turmoil of Adoption: A Missed Opportunity

The Garfield movie's approach to the adoption narrative is particularly concerning to the author, as it delves heavily into the feelings and experiences commonly associated with adoption but fails to explore them in any meaningful depth. The unspoken tension between Garfield and his father, Vic, regarding Garfield's feelings of abandonment, the revelation of Vic's secret observation, and the eventual reunion, are all central to the story. Yet, the movie seems disinterested in truly diving into these complex emotions, leaving the author to wonder why the adoption storyline was included in the first place.One particularly troubling scene involves Vic's decision to let Garfield remain with his adopted father, Jon, because Jon can provide a better life for him. While this is a difficult choice that some biological parents do make in the real-world context of foster care and adoption, the movie's portrayal of it sends a concerning message that the more well-off family should be the default choice, rather than promoting family preservation. The author questions whether the producers and screenwriters fully considered the implications of this narrative choice and its potential impact on the adoption community.

Adoption or Pet Ownership: Blurring the Lines and Raising Concerns

The author's primary concern with the Garfield movie's adoption storyline is that while the film is ostensibly about pets, it seems clear that the narrative was written to draw parallels to human adoption. The author argues that the average house pet's reunion with their biological parent is a far less common occurrence than in the human adoption context. This leads the author to question why the movie felt the need to incorporate an adoption storyline when the source material, Garfield and Friends, had managed to thrive without it.The author's conclusion is that the adoption storyline was likely included to elicit an emotional reaction from the audience, which the author finds to be an exploitative approach towards a marginalized community that already faces numerous unfair portrayals in media. The author hopes that in the future, greater mindfulness and care will be taken when incorporating sensitive subjects like adoption into family-oriented stories, ensuring that the needs and experiences of the adoption community are thoughtfully and respectfully represented.