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Prodigal Sons

Play trailer Poster for Prodigal Sons 2010 1h 26m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
87% Tomatometer 30 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
When filmmaker Kimberly Reed left her small Montana hometown, she was a man. Returning years later for her high school reunion, Reed is a transgendered woman. She seeks to reconnect with her estranged adopted brother, Marc McKerrow, who was permanently disabled in a car crash, and might be related to Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. Exploring identities, rivalries and family, Reed embarks on a personal journey that begins with her hometown and leads all the way to Croatia.
Prodigal Sons

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Fascinating and heartbreakingly honest, Kimberly Reed's family documentary uses its stranger-than-fiction story to speak near-universal truths about family bonds and human identity.

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Critics Reviews

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Todd McCarthy Variety 09/16/2013
A film that will fascinate inquisitive viewers on multiple levels. Go to Full Review Nicolas Rapold Film Comment Magazine 07/01/2013
While Reed's own self-exposure shows insight, her presentation of her brother's suffering comes across as an unprocessed spectacle of misery that hasn't been adequately thought out. Go to Full Review Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness 09/19/2010
A-
A multilayered portrait of immense physical, emotional and psychological change. Go to Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com 09/20/2020
3.5/4.0
Stirring and thought provoking, intimate and a work of quiet genius. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 08/05/2019
3/4
A shocking and moving family portrait, a bittersweet look at sibling rivalries and how they can affect a family years after the children have grown up. Go to Full Review Nora Lee Mandel Maven's Nest 01/02/2016
5/10
Director makes mea culpa a major theme, pleading that admitting her own selfish priorities as a rationalization, but it is insufficient to counter the intrusive images. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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09/01/2015 A powerful documentary. See more 08/06/2015 While not exactly a relaxing viewing experience, this film proves once again that you can't make this stuff up. I found this family to be so loving and noble...it often moved me to tears. Be sure to watch the church service in the "bonus" section of the DVD. It was the perfect coda to the film. Highly recommended. See more 01/05/2014 La verdad esto hubiera sido bueno hace unos 15 o 20 años atrás pero hoy en día ver a un transexual documentando su pasado y mostrando lo difícil que fue cambiar de sexo ya no tiene impacto alguno, ni siquiera en 2008 cuando salió. Resulta aburrido y podría ser mejor un episodio para la serie de "Tabú" de la NatGeo con algo de edición. El fuerte pudo ser la posible relación de su hermano adoptado con Orson Wells pero queda muy en el aire y sin mayor fundamento. Historia del montón que no trae nada nuevo. See more 01/05/2014 La verdad esto hubiera sido bueno hace unos 15 o 20 años atrás pero hoy en día ver a un transexual documentando su pasado y mostrando lo difícil que fue cambiar de sexo ya no tiene impacto alguno, ni siquiera en 2008 cuando salió. Resulta aburrido y podría ser mejor un episodio para la serie de "Tabú" de la NatGeo con algo de edición. El fuerte pudo ser la posible relación de su hermano adoptado con Orson Wells pero queda muy en el aire y sin mayor fundamento. Historia del montón que no trae nada nuevo. See more 12/26/2013 Strange documentary is a little unfocused. See more 09/25/2013 This is a personal documentary that is moving and very revealing. Well filmed with a look back that really opens up the story in a realistic and loving way. The most surprising part is the love of friends and acquaintances in the small town that Kimberly was brought up in. One actually feels sorry for Marc more than the hurt of Kimberly. Nibbles: Beef Burgundy. See more Read all reviews
Prodigal Sons

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Kimberly Reed

Director

Nick Fraser

Executive Producer

Robert Hawk

Executive Producer

Lynne Kirby

Executive Producer

Greg Sanderson

Executive Producer

Catherine Olson

Executive Producer

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Prodigal Sons

Prodigal Sons (2008) Prodigal Sons (2008) Marc McKerrow in "Prodigal Sons." The McKerrow family in "Prodigal Sons." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When filmmaker Kimberly Reed left her small Montana hometown, she was a man. Returning years later for her high school reunion, Reed is a transgendered woman. She seeks to reconnect with her estranged adopted brother, Marc McKerrow, who was permanently disabled in a car crash, and might be related to Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. Exploring identities, rivalries and family, Reed embarks on a personal journey that begins with her hometown and leads all the way to Croatia.
Director
Kimberly Reed
Distributor
First Run
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 26, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 11, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$73.2K
Runtime
1h 26m
Sound Mix
Stereo, Dolby Digital