Plot Summary
Out of My Mind is a one-of-a-kind coming-of-age film that tells the tale of Melody Brooks, a nonverbal 12-year-old girl with cerebral palsy. Resigned to a voiceless life and attending a special class with the same teacher for seven years, Melody yearns for the life of a regular sixth grader—to attend classes with peers her age and to talk about the things regular sixth graders do. But when her condition poses obstacles beyond her control, along with others dragging her down, she resolves to make herself heard, no matter what others think of her.
How does Melody get a chance to attend the sixth-grade class?
Since she started school, Melody had been confined to the special education class. When Dr. Ray, a postdoctoral fellow from the department of education, visits the special education class and interacts with Melody, she realizes that Melody has a lot of potential and recommends that she attend regular sixth-grade classes once a week alongside her.
Although Melody’s mother is doubtful about the idea, worrying about how other sixth graders might treat her, her father supports it, wanting more for Melody. Eventually, Melody begins her weekly lessons with Dr. Ray by her side, excited to join a class with children her age.
How did Melody get the Medi-Talker?
Though Melody’s wish to attend the sixth-grade class comes true, she quickly realizes that her classmates have no patience to understand her visual cues. One day, while watching a documentary about Stephen Hawking, she sadly comments to her father about how he can talk while she cannot.
Her father points out their similarities and looks into acquiring a Medi-Talker, an augmentative communication device. However, the device is extremely expensive. To afford it, they decide to convince an insurance company to cover the cost, but Melody needs a doctor’s approval. Melody and her father visit Dr. Ray, who cleverly uses a loophole to sign the required form. This finally gets Melody her Medi-Talker, giving her a voice at last.
Why wasn’t Melody included in the Whiz-Kids team?
Despite finally having a voice, Melody realizes that people still don’t truly listen to her. However, she participates in class using the device and eagerly joins the selection process for the school’s Whiz-Kids quiz team. Despite performing the best, Melody is disheartened when she doesn’t make the team.
Her parents, along with Dr. Ray, confront the teacher in charge, who admits that he hadn’t graded her transcript. Once he does, it’s revealed that Melody scored a perfect 100. She is then added to the school team, but this comes at the expense of her only friend, Rose, who has to drop out.
Who won the Whiz-Kids competition?
At the competition, Melody answers most of the questions correctly, even when her teammates make mistakes. Eventually, her team catches up to their opponents, and they enter a tiebreaker round. Melody’s team chooses her to represent them, and she answers all the questions correctly, winning the competition and advancing the team to the next stage.
What happened to Melody at the end? Does she make it to the competition?
Due to her being different, Melody is excluded from a breakfast outing with her classmates before their flight to the next round of the competition. When their flight is canceled and the teacher books an earlier one, Melody and her parents arrive at the airport too late and miss the flight. Without Melody, the school team loses the round.
Now fed up with being ignored, Melody confronts her classmates and teacher in class with her parents by her side. When the teacher tries to interrupt her, she asserts herself, telling him to wait until she finishes. She firmly states that they need to deal with their feelings toward her because she has every right to be in the class like any other sixth grader. By standing her ground, Melody begins to carve out a place for herself in the classroom.