Adult Adoption

Twenty-something Rosy is an anxiously independent young woman… she’s holding down an office job, rents an apartment, and dates with, uhm, urgency… but she’s an orphan, a product of the care system, and when a coworker suggests she explores the brave new world of adult adoption she can’t shake the idea. Turns out finding a “parent” at this stage of life is every bit as fraught as finding a romantic partner… Putative “dad”, Brian (Michael Healey), sends confusingly mixed signals, and “mom”, Jane (Rebecca Northan), seems almost as fragile as Rosy.

Ellie Moon, who plays Rosy and also wrote the screenplay, taps the comically icky and poignant implications in this wry but sympathetic foray into deep-rooted insecurity and longing. It’s all more relatable than we might like to admit…

Knox’s feature debut, with a distinctive kindness at its core, is a complete triumph. Its gentleness gives way to a profound search for belonging, while realising maybe we’re all on this search together.

Scott Wilson, One Room with A View

Adult Adoption is scattered with many such little lessons about connections found in unexpected places without labouring the point, and embraces the often unexpectedly warm messiness of real life.

Amber Wilkinson, Screen International