‘The Children Act’ Trailer: Emma Thompson Has To Make A Life Or Death Judgment

It feels good sometimes to watch a movie trailer and not be inundated with ridiculous monsters, flying people, dinosaurs, or talking animals. Sometimes a quality movie trailer can be about the drama of life and family. So, it’s a relief to share something like “The Children Act” with our readers.

The trailer for ‘Children Act’ doesn’t rely on special effects or explosions to sell the film. No, it’s a courtroom drama that follows a judge who has to choose whether a young man can refuse a life-saving blood transfusion, on the basis of religious beliefs. And as this is a movie, the judge has to decide this landmark case all while dealing with troubles in her own marriage. The film stars Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, and Fionn Whitehead. It’s directed by Richard Eyre, who is best known for the film “Notes on a Scandal.”

Look, if you want the latest summer blockbuster, this film isn’t for you. However, if you want a well-acted, potentially moving story about life, death, and all the drama that comes with family, then maybe “The Children Act” should be a film you keep an eye out for.

“The Children Act” hits DIRECTV on August 16 and in select theaters, courtesy of A24, on September 14.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Smart, elegant, and deeply moving, The Children Act stars two-time Academy Award-winner Emma Thompson in a riveting performance as Fiona Maye, a British High Court judge who, in the midst of a marital crisis, must rule on a life-changing legal case concerning the survival of a teenage boy. Fiona is intensely dedicated to her profession, never finding time to have her own children while fully assuming the immense responsibility of making life-and-death decisions about the children of others. As Fiona is about to embark on one of the most challenging cases of her career, Jack (Stanley Tucci) her neglected and increasingly frustrated husband, makes a shocking revelation, sending her into an emotional tailspin. The case in question concerns seventeen-year-old Adam (Dunkirk’s Fionn Whitehead), a Jehovah’s Witness suffering from leukemia, whose life could be saved by a simple blood transfusion, but who is refusing on religious grounds. Though just months shy of his eighteenth birthday, when he could legally choose for himself, Adam’s fate instead rests with Fiona, who, uncertain in her decision, makes the unusual move of leaving her courtroom to visit Adam’s hospital bedside. Their encounter forges a profound and unexpected connection, leading them both to challenge their beliefs, evaluate their choices, and grapple with the ultimate question of what constitutes right and wrong. Adapted by Ian McEwan from his own novel, and directed by Richard Eyre (Notes on a Scandal; Iris), The Children Act is a deeply affecting and unforgettable portrait of strength, devotion, and love.