Tomorrow's Children: A Cold Look at a Scary Past

Is it worth your time?

Look, Tomorrow's Children isn't exactly a light watch for a Friday night. If you’re interested in how movies used to handle social policy with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, you’ll be glued to it. If you want something that keeps its tone consistent or doesn't feel like a PSA gone wild, you might want to steer clear.

The whole thing feels like a weird time capsule. You have this state board deciding who is 'fit' for society and who isn't, and the movie really leans into the misery of the main character’s home life to justify the panic. It’s not subtle. At all.

Oddly Specific Notes

• The dialogue sounds like it was written by someone who had only ever heard people argue in a courtroom.
• Every time the priest shows up, the music swells so loud it’s almost distracting.
• The shots of the 'defective' family members are framed in a way that feels pretty cruel, even for the thirties.

It’s funny, I’ve seen films like The Shadow that play with mystery, but this? This is just grim. There’s a scene where the boyfriend is trying to figure out a legal workaround, and the pacing just hits a wall. It drags. You can almost see the actors wondering if they should have taken a different role.

The movie is convinced it’s doing a good thing by sounding the alarm on eugenics, but it feels like it’s also judging the characters themselves. It's a messy, messy perspective. You don't walk away feeling enlightened so much as you walk away needing to go for a long walk to clear your head.

Honestly, it’s one of those films that’s better discussed in chunks than watched in one sitting. It's not the worst thing I've sat through, but it's definitely got a weird, frantic energy that doesn't quite settle down. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s definitely memorable for all the wrong reasons. 🎞️