Like Dandelion Dust
| Like Dandelion Dust | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Jon Gunn |
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| Music by | Nathan Larson |
| Cinematography | Reynaldo Villalobos |
| Edited by | Jon Gunn |
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Production
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| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
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Release date
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Running time
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100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $352,810 |
Like Dandelion Dust is a 2009 drama film directed by Jon Gunn and based on the novel by the same name by Karen Kingsbury. The film won 26 awards at 23 film festivals.
Two police officers knock on the door of a home and a drunk man answers. Rip Porter lives at the house with his wife Wendy Porter. The police say they are checking on a domestic disturbance, and when they walk upstairs, they find Wendy injured. They arrest Rip, and he is sent to prison. It is unknown if domestic assault was Rip's only crime, but he is an abusive alcoholic and may have had a prior criminal record.
Seven years later, Rip is released from prison and Wendy picks him up to take him home. Rip has changed in prison; he is now sober and has taken anger management courses. Not long after returning home, Rip talks to Wendy about starting a family. Wendy has kept a secret from Rip since he went to prison; she gave birth to their son after Rip went to prison. She tells him that she gave the baby up for adoption, and the couple who adopted him are the Campbells who live in Florida. Rip is immediately driven to regain custody of his son, and has a right to do so because he never signed the adoption papers, as Wendy forged his signature. Jack and Molly Campbell have enjoyed an idyllic life with Wendy and Rip's son, Joey, and love him very much. One phone call shatters their world when they learn that Rip Porter has just been released from prison and discovered the adoption was fraudulent and has laid claim to his son. When a judge upholds Rip and Wendy's claim and Molly and Jack learn they must give Joey to them, they are distraught at the fact that they can no longer keep the son they have raised.
Jack Campbell tries every legal avenue he can find to keep Joey. He consults with a lawyer about keeping Joey, but his lawyer tells him that there is nothing he can do. Jack then contacts his congressman friend, but the congressman also tells him that his hands are tied and there is nothing he can do to help them. As a last resort, Jack travels to Ohio and offers Rip money in exchange for Rip legally signing Joey over permanently to Jack and Molly. Rip refuses, and gets in a physical altercation with Jack. There are no charges pressed against Rip because Jack would also go to jail for violating the court order and for trying to bribe Rip. Jack and Molly have no choice but to allow Joey to visit his biological parents, Wendy and Rip Porter.
Joey's first visit with Wendy and Rip goes exceptionally well. Rip has been working hard on preparing his home for Joey, and when Joey arrives, they work on building a tree house together. Wendy and Rip are grateful to have an opportunity to spend time with their son, and when Joey returns home to Jack and Molly, he excitedly tells them of his trip.
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