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What Makes a Family (2001) movie poster

Characters & Themes

What Makes a Family (2001) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2001 · 120 mins · English
Directed by
Maggie Greenwald
Starring
Stewart Arnott, Al Waxman, Cherry Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Brooke Shields, Anne Meara

Based on a controversial true story, Janine and Sandy, a lesbian couple, decide to raise a child together. After several years Sandy dies, and Sandy’s parents move to take the baby from Janine. Defying legal barriers, Janine fights to keep custody, highlighting the difficulties same‑sex parents face in a system that refuses to recognize their rights.

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What Makes a Family (2001) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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