Wishlist Watch nextSign in

What Makes a Family

2001Movie2 h 0 min

61

DecentGoodWatch score

Rotten Tomatoes

A moving, tense drama movie about family and everyday modern life.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Where to watch

Set your services

Tubi TVFree with ads

Fingerprint

Not for laughs, scares or brutality.

Movies with

Story

Based on the controversial true story

Janine and Sandy are a lesbian couple who decide to have a baby, but after a few years Sandy dies. This tragedy is exploited by Sandy's parents to snatch the girl from Janine's care. But then, and despite having the laws against her, Janine decides to fight in order to regain custody of her daughter.

Feels like

Legal Family Drama
LGBTQ+ Parent Rights
Emotional & Heartfelt
Resilience & Advocacy
Contemporary Social Issues
Custody Battle
Character-Driven
Hopeful
Based on a True Story

Crew

Directed by: Maggie Greenwald
Written by: Robert L. Freedman
Produced by: Wendy Grean
Music by: David Mansfield

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

January 22, 2001 · 2 h 0 min · Drama, TV Movie

Released: January 22, 2001
Runtime: 2 h 0 min
Genres: Drama, TV Movie
Original language: English
Made in: Canada, United States
Available in: 3 countries
Keywords: based on true story

Q&A

4 questions, like "Where can I stream What Makes a Family?"

Questions about What Makes a Family

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream What Makes a Family?

In the United States, What Makes a Family is free with ads on Tubi TV. It also streams in 1 other country.

Is What Makes a Family worth watching?

61

DecentGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 61 (IMDb 6.6).

Is What Makes a Family okay for kids?

Yes: the viewing guide lists it for family nights.

Is What Makes a Family plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (8 of 10) and pathos (8 of 10) more than on its plot.