The Other Tom

No matter how well organised one is, parenting always requires the acceptance of a certain level of chaos. Watching her child getting restless in a crowded lift, hustling him through a supermarket full of tempting things, Elena (Julia Chaves) apologises for him almost on autopilot. She’s a working single mother with so much on her plate that she never has time to stop and think. This is perhaps why she hasn’t clicked that Tom (Israel Rodriguez) is nine now, and that his peers have long since grown out of their most reckless behaviour.

As is commonly the case, it’s at his school that the problem becomes obvious, and the trouble he gets into there leads to him being referred to a psychiatrist, who diagnoses him with ADHD. He is given the default treatment used in children, methylphenidate (better known by one of its brand names, Ritalin), and at first it seems to be working. His focus improves. He spends less time feeling any or frustrated, and finds it easier to get along with other children. in a touching scene, he is invited to play by a girl who introduces herself with the words “I’m depressed and bipolar.” There is perhaps a comment here on the effects of labelling children, and what it means for their developing identities, but still, Tom’s grades are improving and his future seems much brighter – until a subtle shift occurs and, not long afterwards, a shocking incident which lands him in the hospital.

Did the medication cause it? The real life scientific debate around these issues is fraught, the evidence presently inconclusive. If it happens, it’s rare, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously. The real question here, however, centres on who gets to decide how to manage the balance of risks where a child is concerned. Should it be the parent(s) or the state? Although we are placed at Elena’s side, the film still leaves open the possibility that she’s in the wrong, or even that her choices are motivated more by her own needs than by Tom’s. It is not unsympathetic in doing so – it simply acknowledges that she is human and imperfect.

The state authorities are imperfect too. The suggestion that Tom might be taken away from her is raised abruptly, almost guaranteeing that she will panic and become less amenable to reason. No alternative medication is offered, although there are several options available which could be just as effective. Elena’s financial situation makes it difficult for her to access alternative advice and there is an implication that she is more likely to be seen as unfit because she’s single (perhaps, also, because she’s Hispanic). ADHD has a genetic element and there are times when her behaviour under stress suggests that she may have it herself, making it even harder for her to engage effectively with the system.

The characters are beautifully drawn, the relationship between mother and son forming the bedrock of the film. It is not without its challenges. Elena has made promises which she could not deliver so many times that Tom not demands written contracts for every deal between them. He’s an enthusiastic prankster with the ability to lie very smoothly, enjoying making fun of the adults around him and usually getting away with it. Watching him at school, one wonders if part of the reason why he struggles to pay attention is simply that he’s so smart. He doesn’t want to be in trouble all the time, though. “The Tom on the pills was much better than me,” he tells his mother with heartbreaking conviction.

“There is no other Tom,” she says.

Both lead actors are perfect in their roles and very natural together. That this is Rodriguez’s first screen outing is difficult to believe. The detail with which directors Rodrigo Plá and Laura Santullo suffuse their film makes it intensely involving. There is plenty of laughter to balance out the distressing scenes and add to their impact. At times the narrative may seem chaotic, just like childrearing, but in due course a clear sense of direction emerges, orientated by love.