Taglines: Who decides what makes a mother?
Losing Isaiah movie storyline. Khaila Richards (Halle Berry) is an addict who is addicted to crack cocaine. One day, she abandons her baby in a dumpster in order to get high without being disturbed by the other addicts, promising to “come back later.” The next day, workers narrowly avoid shipping him away with the garbage truck until they find him and send him to the hospital.
At the hospital, a social worker named Margaret Lewin (Jessica Lange) decides to take care of Isaiah in the hospital after discovering he is addicted to cocaine as well due to his mother’s addiction. He overcomes it, and Margaret adopts him to live with her husband and daughter. At the same time, Khaila is caught shoplifting and is sent to rehab, at first unaware Isaiah is alive.
Three years later, Khaila is finished with treatment and confesses to her case worker that she abandoned Isaiah, but finds out he is alive. They hire a lawyer, Kadar Lewis (Samuel L. Jackson) to contest the adoption. It turns into a battle about race shortly after, but the judge overturns the adoption, returning Isaiah to Khalia, much to he and the Lewins’ horror and sadness.
Losing Isaiah is a 1995 American drama film starring Jessica Lange and Halle Berry, directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal. It is based on the novel of the same name by Seth Margolis. The screenplay is written by Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal. The original music score is composed by Mark Isham.
Losing Isaiah (1995)
Directed by: Stephen Gyllenhaal
Starring: Jessica Lange, Halle Berry, David Strathairn, Cuba Gooding Jr., Daisy Eagan, Marc John Jefferies, Samuel L. Jackson, Regina Taylor, Jacqueline Brookes
Screenplay by: Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal
Production Design by: Jeannine Oppewall
Cinematography by: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Film Editing by: Harvey Rosenstock
Costume Design by: Mary Malin
Set Decoration by: Jay Hart
Art Direction by: William Arnold
Music by: Mark Isham
MPAA Rating: R for drug related material and brief strong language.
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: March 17, 1995
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