“Breakthrough” movie

Olivia and I watched “Breakthrough,” the 2019 film about the boy in Missouri who was skating on thin ice with friends, fell through, was rescued, and spent many minutes unconscious—enough minutes that recovery seemed futile. Probably everyone in the world has seen this movie except us. Olivia suggested watching it because she knows I’ll watch any film with a Guatemalan angle, and in “Breakthrough,” the boy, John, was born in Guatemala and adopted by a couple in Missouri. I started crying about 10 minutes in, when, during a scene at John’s middle school, he was confronted with the dreaded “family tree” project. And I basically never stopped crying. The film is tense, fast-paced, and realistic. The performances are excellent. “Breakthrough” isn’t for everyone. John’s mother is deeply religious, the family is connected to a church community, and prayer and faith figure prominently. But if you’re okay with those elements, and you, like us, are behind in your movie-watching, check out “Breakthrough.” We loved it.

A hard day

Easter Monday was hard and I’m not sure why. Something to do with 4 weeks of isolation, I’m guessing. Except to walk the dog, I’ve left the house exactly twice: Once to notarize a document at the UPS store. And the second time, to drive over the bridge to SF and my sister Patrice, to swap bags full of lemons for ramen and pasta. Olivia, Mateo, and I kept our 6-foot distance and refrained from hugs. But oh, to be outside, in the world, to see my sister in real life. That was glorious.