O'Brien reviews the film adaptation of Children of a Lesser God, which Medojf cowrote. While he praises the performances, the critic was less pleased with the translation from stage to screen, feeling that certain elements of Medoff's original text were misused for the screenplay.

Children of a Lesser God both moves and disappoints. Directed by Randa Haines, whose television experience includes Hill Street Blues and the film about incest, Something about Amelia, Children provides a bare-bones story about an angry young deaf woman (Marlee Martin) and a teacher (William Hurt) determined to get her to speak. Their romance is compelling, especially because of the verve and pain of their "dialogue" through sign language. But Haines makes their love stand too much alone, leaving a thin feel. The movie never delivers what it promises.

Partly this results from changes made in Mark Medoff's play—changes which he...