The Chinese government's 'one family/one child' policy which began in 1979 had a serious unintended consequence. Because families were told they could only have one child, many families began abandoning their girls. After all, they reasoned, families NEED a boy--they don't need girls (a similar problem has occurred in India, by the way). But, what can they do with all these little girls? Well, there were lots of families around the world who were eager to adopt many of them. This film is about five Chinese girls who were adopted by Americans and chronicles their lives and struggles. It brings up many interesting topics, such as the desire by some to try to locate their birth parents, fitting in with American and Chinese culture and many others. All this is quite interesting--and you really found yourself feeling for the girls. Because of this, a few times I could feel a few tears welling up--so be sure to have some Kleenex handy.By the way, if you do see the film, you be left wondering a few things, such as how is the girl with cerebral palsy doing today as well as how did the one family have four kids when the government ordered that you could only have one. Thought-provoking, that's for sure.

There are plenty of tears shed on the screen and even more by the movie theater audience,myself included.The movie does a beautiful job portraying the lives of the Chinese adoptees and the many challenges they face.One thing that I took away from Somewhere Between is the need the children shared in knowing about their heritage.For some it is a desire to perhaps visit the orphanage or village they came from or for others it may be too track down their birth parents.The movie is an absolute delight and will appeal to a wide range of movie-goers,but will especially touch those in the adoption community who can relate first hand about the heartfelt journey of adoption.

I went to this film with very modest expectations. Having seen the trailer I suspected the film would be a bit sappy (i.e., saccharine) and therefore not my cup of tea. What a surprise! It was a penetrating, unsentimental look at the effect of adoptions across racial lines. The 4 adoptees, young women who are quite different from each other, were incredibly articulate- -I was quite stunned by their ability to express such adult thoughts with huge clarity. Unlike another reviewer here, I do not consider this a niche film in any way. I am not a mother, and while I do try to stay informed about our (shrinking) world, I have no personal involvement in issues of adoption, racial diversity, etc. To say that this film is moving is truly an understatement. I could hear the sniffles throughout the audience. It is a huge tribute to Linda Goldstein Knowlton that without any obvious efforts to tug on our heartstrings, she has put together a film that is searing, beautiful and I hope destined to become a must-see for anyone contemplating an inter-racial or inter-cultural adoption. I so look forward to her next venture and wish her the very best with her own, thus far successful, adoption.

What is it like to be a little girl, flown out of China with some sense of past home, place and life, then adopted and raised as an American in a secure home with love and good parenting? This skillfully-made documentary puts you in the shoes--no, the skins--of four young women who, in the words of one, are like bananas, yellow outside and white inside. They are all bright, well-educated, hard-working, and grounded, but something is still missing in their lives.Just what should China mean to them? Is it the tiny but tantalizing possibility of finding a birth parent, with the surprises that might bring--a story that has been told many times? Is it the sense of a place where they visibly fit in? Is it the need to share their feelings with other kids like themselves? And what of the lingering feeling that, before they were adopted, they were rejected? You will experience all these things alongside these young women, as they travel to Europe and China, grow, and open up like flowers. Is it enough to feel Chinese, or must she feel like a Dai (minority) person because she looks like one? Where does that lead her? What does it feel like to be in the stark orphanage that she dimly recalls? And what does she feel when she sees a bright little girl like she was, but trapped in a box in that orphanage because of a disability that could be treated?I agree with Los Angeles Times reviewer Kenneth Turan, whose professional review I commend to you, that only a stone would not be moved by this film.