The Power of Storytelling: Great Movies About Foster Care

Movies and television shows have an unmatched power to shape attitudes, evoke empathy, and inspire change through the stories they tell. This is especially true when it comes to shaping perceptions and understanding complex social issues like foster care. 

On-screen portrayals of foster children, youth, and the foster system play a pivotal role in either reinforcing or challenging existing stereotypes and assumptions. They have the potential to give audiences an inside look at an experience many have not lived, building compassion and awareness for youth in the system, which is why movies about foster care are so important.

Although some of the movies can be overdramatized to cater to the audiences, they have the capacity to shed light on the struggles real children and adults go through. In this article, we’ve created a list of several movies about foster care that, whether through themes of comedy, drama, or even music, focus on giving foster care experiences a platform to shine on.

So, without further ado, here are our choices for fantastic movies about foster care. 

Annie

The movie “Annie” (1982, remade in 2014) portrays the story of a spunky young orphan living in New York during the Great Depression. After escaping from the orphanage she lives in, Annie has a chance encounter with a billionaire who decides to take her in for a week. The film depicts the challenges and heartwarming moments experienced by Annie as she navigates through her life in foster care. “Annie” is a movie about hopefulness, optimism, and resilience through the hardships of life, showing how life can be transformed with a caring guardian. Annie is a wonderful movie with a happy ending and thought-provoking topics that can be further explored by children and adults alike. 

Foster

This 2011 movie centers on the lives of married couple, Zooey and Alec, who have lost a son and have been struggling to conceive a baby after having suffered an accident years prior. Facing other challenges in the relationship, the couple considers becoming foster parents, a decision that rapidly changes their lives as a seven-year-old boy named Eli appears at their doorstep and claims to be their new foster son. 

Eli is unusual and a little bit magical as he slowly overtakes Zooey and Alec’s lives and helps them process their loss, allowing them to embrace life once again. Foster is a feel-good Christmas movie that shows how a foster child can come into the lives of foster parents and change them for the better. 

Safe Harbor

In the 2009 TV movie “Safe Harbor,” Doug and Robbie find their plans for a peaceful sailing trip after retirement disrupted when they unexpectedly become foster parents to a group of troubled teenage boys. This heartwarming story, based on true events, follows the couple as they navigate the challenges of foster parenting while still holding onto their dreams of setting sail on a long sea voyage. The film centers around the transformative journey of the boys under their care, as well as the emotional growth and resilience displayed by Doug and Robbie in their newfound role as nurturing figures.

There are thousands of youths in the foster care system who are often overlooked and need supportive and loving figures. This film provides an excellent platform that shows the importance of opening our homes to teenagers and the profound impact foster parents can have on them if they’re only given the chance. 

Instant Family

Instant Family is a heartwarming comedy that follows married couple Pete and Ellie as they decide they are ready to start a family and dive into the world of foster parenting. The movie gives an inside look into the foster care system as Pete and Ellie attend parenting classes, undergo home inspections, and start taking in foster children. 

It also highlights the significance of keeping siblings together, as Pete and Ellie accept siblings Lizzie, Juan, and Lita into their home. With a full house, the couple begins to experience both the joys and challenges of suddenly becoming parents to a trio of kids. The family’s journey portrays the complexities, trials, and rewards of building a family through foster care adoption. Instant Family effectively underscores the significant role that foster parents play and the deep fulfillment that comes from embracing children with an open heart.

Angels in the Outfield

Angels in the Outfield is a heartwarming family sports comedy that tells the story of a foster child named Roger, who loves baseball and hopes his favorite team, the struggling California Angels, starts winning games, as he believes that will give him a family. What follows is a fun, feel-good movie where real angels help the baseball team win games so that Roger can get the family he desperately wants. The film, ultimately, depicts foster care in a positive and uplifting way, showing Roger not only getting his wish but also bringing healing to those around him through his faith, perseverance, and joy.

The Blind Side

The Blind Side is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American teenager taken in by Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy. The film chronicles Oher’s journey from poverty and instability to becoming a successful football player in the NFL. The movie showcases the hardships Oher faces before and after being in the care of the Tuohys, shedding light on what many foster youths face daily, even after finding a home. It touches on topics of poverty, lack of education, advocacy, compassion, and triumph over adversity. The Blind Side is an uplifting story demonstrating the power of foster families to nurture a child’s gifts and change their future for the better. 

Tarzan (1999)

Although not necessarily focused on traditional foster care, the animated Disney film “Tarzan” explores the theme of being cared for by someone other than a parent or family member. The movie depicts the emotional journey of a young boy orphaned in the jungle and raised by apes, specifically a gorilla named Kala. Although Kala raises Tarzan as her own, he struggles to fit in with the troupe. 

When Tarzan is grown, he encounters other humans for the first time, something that has him torn between his loyalty to his ape family and his desire to connect with his own kind. Tarzan’s journey resonates with all who have felt the loneliness of isolation and the joy of forging community. The beloved film is filled with lush animation, incredible music, and lessons on the power of chosen families and the impact just one caretaker, like Kala, can have in a child’s life.

Takeaway on Movies About Foster Care

Storytelling through film has immense power to shine a light on the experiences of children in foster care. Movies about foster care like Annie, Foster, Safe Harbor, Instant Family, Angels in the Outfield, The Blind Side, and Tarzan have all brought these stories to life in compelling ways. The emotional journeys and insights into what it’s like to be a foster child in these films have managed to forge deep connections with audiences. 

Though storytelling in movies can be impactful on its own, we have a role to play in supporting and amplifying the stories of those in foster care. By voicing the realities of these children, we can bring about significant changes, not only in the system but in their very own lives as well. Let these movies serve as an inspiration for advocacy and action as we work together to ensure children in the system have a safe and stable home they can go to every day.