Saving Sarah Cain

Infobox Film
name = Saving Sarah Cain


caption = DVD cover
director = Michael Landon, Jr.
producers = Ron Booth
Paul Lalonde
Peter Lalonde
Nicholas Tarbarrok
André van Heerden
writers = Brian Bird
Cindy Kelley (screenplay)
Beverly K. Lewis (based on novel)
starring = Lisa Pepper
Tess Harper
Elliott Gould
Danielle Chuchran
Abigail Mason
Jennifer O'Dell
Soren Fulton
Tanner Maguire
music = Mark McKenzie
distributor = Believe Pictures
released = August 19, 2007 (TV premiere)
runtime = 87 minutes
country = USA
language = English German
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0918557

Saving Sarah Cain is a theatrical production of Beverly Lewis' 2000 novel "The Redemption of Sarah Cain". Originally scheduled for an August 24, 2007 opening, the film premiered on Lifetime Television five days earlier. The film is distributed by Believe Pictures and stars Lisa Pepper, Elliott Gould, Tess Harper, Soren Fulton, Danielle Chuchran, Abigail Mason, Tanner Maguire, and Jennifer O'Dell. The film was directed by Michael Landon, Jr.

Plot Summary

The film begins with Sarah Cain (Lisa Pepper), who is a successful columnist at the Portland Times. Her daily column has been rejected by her boss Bill (Elliott Gould) who claims that she once wrote about her life, and has now degraded herself to writing cheesy columns. She is furious, and heads over to the local restaurant where she meets with her boyfriend Bryan (Tom Tate). Sarah's phone rings, and it is Lyddie: Sarah's older sister Ivy has died of heart failure. Sarah runs to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for the funeral.

Her sister, however, was a member of the Amish community, and Sarah has never forgiven her for leaving the family. As the sole surviving relative, the law appoints Sarah as the legal guardian of the five children. 16 year-old Lyddie (Abigail Mason) and other members of the Amish community protest because they do not want an outsider to raise the children. While there, both Lyddie and another Amish member Miriam (Tess Harper) convince Sarah to stay the night. While there, knowing that her deadline is coming up for the daily column, Sarah writes about her day's events and sends them to Bill as a last resort.

The next day at the hearing, Sarah receives a surprising e-mail about her piece: the fans loved it and want more. Sarah takes the children back to her home, as she is now their guardian, and the Amish children try to fit in and make new friends. The eldest child, Lyddie, is the only one to stay at home and do her daily chores. Despite being labeled as freaks at school, Caleb (Soren Fulton) makes it on the wrestling team, and after a bad first day, Anna Mae (Danielle Chuchran) gains attention after taking and wearing Sarah's clothing in order to fit in. Josiah (Tanner Maguire) hates it there. Only Hannah (Bailee Madison) is accepted on her first day in kindergarten class.

Bill likes the attention that the articles about the Amish children have produced, but Sarah rejects further offers at seeing the daily column as a continued phase. Meanwhile, Madison (Jennifer O'Dell), Sarah's rival at the same paper company, gets wind of where they attend school and a news team shows up during one of Caleb's wrestling matches. Later that night, Sarah admits to the kids that the situation has spun out of control. Only Lyddie voices objection, saying it has gone against their traditions and beliefs, while the other kids defend and accept Sarah's apology. The resulting fight has Josiah to pack up and leave home by himself. While the family scrambles to find him, they later find Josiah behind a tree. Sarah takes the whole family back to their Amish community and leaves them in the care of Miriam. As Sarah leaves the community, the other kids try to catch up with her. Sarah stops, and Lyddie hands her a letter written by Ivy before she died - which contains her last wishes. It is only then that the truth is revealed: Ivy wanted Sarah to have the kids as an apology for breaking her heart, and that they "will be blessings to her as they were to me." The ending is left ambiguous, but a scene earlier in the movie depicts Bryan proposing to her with an engagement ring in the cheesecake. Bryan comes over to visit before his business meeting, and brings her a piece of her favorite cheesecake.

DVD and possible theatrical release

As of August 19, 2007, the website Filmjerk still has the movie listed as going to theaters "in select markets" under the name "The Redemption of Sarah Cain". [ [http://www.filmjerk.com/earlyreport/article.php?id_eol=452 FilmJerk.com - Early Report - The Early Report for August 19, 2007: Part One ] ] Fox Faith released the movie on January 15, 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.videosforfamily.com/savingsarahcain.htm Saving Sarah Cain Cast Member Interviews & Panel]