Effective documentary about a marginalized woman (Susan Tom) who is raising some of the most unfortunate but extraordinary children you will ever encounter. Some are severely burnt (Faith). One has cystic fibrosis (Joe), and a bunch of complex personal problems. Several are limbless. The list goes on. The children are a handful, but Susan's unlimited reserve of strength and compassion is what has given these children meaningful lives.
Susan isn't always depicted beneath her saintly halo. In one scene, she, like any human being, loses her patience with her birth daughter and comes across as harsh. In others, she fights exhaustion. The film is about Susan, but it is also about her charges and their own personal struggles to simply survive. Some of the episodes we're shown are pretty heartbreaking and one boy's struggle to live (Anthony) is so horrible you can only marvel at his tenacity.
The film has a no-nonsense tone and never becomes too tabloid or too much of a freak show (which would have been highly inappropriate under the circumstances). Director Jonathan Karsh sprinkles a little visual poetry on the pictures and employs an occasional voice-over.
Strong stuff. And fascinating.