ezwirn The relatively peaceful (documented) outcome was truly against all odds, as many here have said. I enjoyed watching this, despite being slightly sickened and saddened by the emotional issues and blatant ignorance of the parents. As many have said, the experts' diagnosis of Masha was ridiculous, as she was almost unimaginably calm and collected considering the transition. (ugh that alliteration reminded me of the disgusting renaming of the kids to "C" names... a pathetic attempt to play "perfect family"). Sorry, I don't mean to bash the parents who were doing their best, as is everyone. Remember that. But to not learn any Russian? Jesus. The ethnocentrism of some American families is so sad. In itself, I don't know if the language isolation was that damaging, but it clearly revealed the ignorance and unpreparedness of the parents, and ultimately shows their lack of empathy and understanding of the THREE kids they adopted. The two boys could have been much more demonic, and I found the scene where they were cussing out the father hilarious. I would have laughed out loud if I wasn't also a little sickened by the father's disciplinary ignorance. Again, sorry for my bashing. To conclude: Masha was wonderful and would (will?) grow into a very intelligent adult with better caretaker modeling, hopefully some wise and loving adult appears in her life, the sooner the better. The boys have an impressive sense of self, and that will serve them well. Yes, the home environment is better than a Russian orphanage, but still much more superficial than most homes I've been in. To viewers in Russia: many Americans are much more aware and real then this family. To prospective American adoptive parents: not all Russian children coming from orphanages are going to be that easy. Best of luck to the family, and I hope they can help each other heal and grow, as all families have the opportunity to do together. Maybe this situation is what all involved need, and I am just acting ignorant by typing this snarky post.

ealtutorialsvcs A well-intentioned, but somewhat arrogant and naive couple adopts four Russian children all at once. The wife even goes so far as to change their names without consulting them. Neither made an effort to learn Russian. Obviously, these kids are better off than they were in the Russian orphanages and seem to adjust, but the transition could have been smoother. Also, the couple seem oblivious to their biological daughter's feelings of insecurity now that she suddenly has three new siblings. Pay her some attention as well folks! There were moments as I was watching this documentary that I felt this couple simply wanted to fulfill a fantasy of having a large family rather than share their good fortune and make up for all the love these kids did not receive earlier in their lives. I wish them all well.

threeicys As a mother of 8 children, it is clear to me that the issues encountered by adoption are not far from what parents go through normally. Each child is born with a unique personality and temperament that requires flexible nerves and a steadfast love for each one. The abnormal part the film shows a sudden introduction of three older children that turns the house into an exhausting battle, physically and mentally. Adjustment for this family and many like it require professional councilors and years to blend as a family unit. Not impossible.The editing on the film was good but could have been better - it was not clear the reasons for adopting. *Overall - it is enjoyable to watch, interesting and informative.

MartinHafer "The Dark Matter of Love" is a film about one of the strangest and most ill-prepared families I've ever seen. A couple have a teenage daughter and decide, for reasons that are never apparent, to adopt three children from Russia that were raised in orphanages. One is a girl who is just a few years younger than their biological daughter and two are twins who are incredibly wild and very, very difficult to love. Yet, despite the difficulty in bringing one new child into the home, they bring all three at the same time!!! Some might see them as saints--I see them as a bit crazy and amazingly naive, as they never bothered to learn any Russian and didn't seem to make this choice for clear and intelligent reasons. Fortunately, things eventually seem to work out reasonably well--but in the meantime it is as if the parents chose to move to hell! And, to make it worse, their oldest never chose to do this and her feelings generally don't seem to matter. All these strange motivations and the psychological problems the family has all make for very interesting viewing. I liked these people, mind you, but I sure thought that someone should have suggested a lot of family counseling long before they ever went to pick up the children. Well made and interesting...and I love parents who adopt special needs kids...at least one at a timeAs a retired social worker and therapist, this film would make great viewing for training mental health workers as well as showing to people hoping to adopt a child from abroad, as it opens up MANY, MANY important topics that should be talked about well before anyone decides to adopt.