What it’s about
In this affecting documentary, filmmaker Karsh takes us into the Fairfield, CA, home of single mother Susan Tom, who selflessly cares for 11 special-needs children she's adopted. Faced with a barrage of daily tasks — feeding, dressing, advising, medicating, and defusing violent tantrums — Susan somehow manages to create an environment of stability, normalcy, and all-consuming unconditional love for kids who daily face a gamut of problems.
Why we love it
Karsh's intimate portrait of a unique household and the saintly woman who governs it with a tender, matter-of-fact approach might sound depressing on the surface. And indeed, especially in Susan's skirmishes with volatile teen Joe, the movie can weigh heavy on the heart. But Susan is so articulate about her children's issues and her own motivations for taking them in that “Blood” is never less than compelling, especially once you've come to know these valiant kids as well as she does. Raw but poignant, “Blood” is as soul-stirring as its title suggests.