The audience is continually amazed at the courage Carla exhibits to jump into the normal stream of things.  She enrolls at a Polytechnic.  She is making the statement that she hopes for an independent and normal life. From there she pushes the bounds outward and ends up with her own apartment. She even takes a boyfriend.

     You can only truly know yourself by overcoming your fears. This is Carla's mission. She wants to explore, experience, and be free to make the same mistakes that any young person would starting out. We've all been there - we want Carla to win.

     The movie centers on the struggle between mother and daughter.  Elizabeth struggles with guilt over abandoning Carla to a distant school and guilt over abandoning her emotionally.  Elizabeth sent Carla away at a young age because she couldn't accept her for who she was and now the battle, delayed by years and distance, is upon them.

     Carla has won some battles but now the war is what counts. The truth is that Carla is not and never will be what her mother envisions in a daughter. She is plain and simple. She has no special gifts or talents. In arguing this point, her mother protests that Carla has lots of gifts. "No mother. I do not. But there is one thing I can do - I can love."

     At this point I thought about the philosopher who states so simply what we all thought was the most profound definition about being human: "I think therefore I am." But the really powerful statement and the real standard by which we are measured as successful human beings is the one Carla makes, "I love therefore I am."

     The movie was a profound statement on what it means to be human. We may all have our ideals of what normal is but Carla pushes our prejudices to the wall. There is no normal; there is just human - we come in all sizes, shapes, colors, and behavioral variety. Carla reminds us that to be truly human is as simple as to love and be loved.

    I also liked this movie because I thought it was just like life. We never arrive. We see through a mist. Things aren't always clear. We are often confused and insecure. I like this family. No matter what they face, what public humiliation, what weaknesses are exposed, they hang tough and they hang together. What better statement can you make about being a family? The individuals within the family system are all unique and different. If we try to impose one set of standards for the whole we will destroy that which makes us strong. The best gift we can give each other is to love one another no matter what. This is what Carla and her family tell us. Their story is the story of all of us in the family system. To love each other and submit to the reality in each of our lives is to set each one of us free to be whom God created us in all our potential

WHAT DID THEY SAY?
Subject: movie
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2000
From: George

hello, i just finished watching the video this weekend. it was quite profound.. i was wondering if anyone remembers what the saying that carla and her sisters whisper that looks like 'i love you'...

HUMANS ONE AND ALL
Subject: hi
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2000
From: Sporty

hi i loved that movie it was the best moive ever it showed you that even the less fortunite is needing to be threated human

JULIETTE LEWIS WAS GREAT -BUILD PEOPLE UP!
Subject: Carla
Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2000
From: Lauren

I applaud Juliette Lewis' portrayal of Carla... fighting her way through a cruel world to find herself and make the most of her life in spite of her mother. We could all learn a lesson from Carla - disAbilities are only disAbilities if we MAKE them so. Don't ever laugh at people, build them up instead of tearing them down. - Lauren

WORTH TAKING KIDS TO
May 27, 1999. I enjoyed the movie very much. I think they stereotyped the two "slow" persons as slow talking and physically awkward. Still, I liked Carla and Danny. I did not like the mother. The problems of raising a "mentally challenged" child are tough enough for normal parents. There was no need making Diane Keaton into a basket case A strong mother would have needed divine wisdom to know how to raise Carla. Best of all, I liked Carla's childlike wonder. Yes, I would take my grandkids to see this one. --Eddie Downey

THE MOVIE WAS A BLESSED EXPERIENCE
May 26, 1999. This was a powerfully inspiring movie! Certainly challenged my concepts of those who are mentally challenged. They can do anything they set their minds to accomplish, perphaps needing a little encouragement and help from the rest of us. Let's embrace them and allow their courage to inspire us. I have had this happen recently and found myself totally blessed by the experience.