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Take Care of Maya

Play trailer 1:57 Poster for Take Care of Maya 2023 1h 43m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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93% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
When nine-year-old Maya Kowalski was admitted to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in 2016, nothing could have prepared her or her family for what they were about to go through. As the medical team tried to understand her rare illness, they began to question the basic truths that bound the Kowalskis together. Suddenly, Maya was in state custody -- despite two parents who were desperate to bring their daughter home. The story of the Kowalski family -- as told in their own words -- will change the way you look at children's healthcare forever.
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Take Care of Maya

Critics Reviews

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Noel Murray Los Angeles Times An absorbing and challenging film, capturing the frustration of being held in limbo by a system that seems to prioritize punishment over appeals. Jun 21, 2023 Full Review Chris Vognar Rolling Stone Take Care of Maya allows you to feel the agony and anger of a nightmare from which they can’t awaken. The film leaves a bitter taste, along with the hope that they eventually get the closure that the film knows it can’t supply. Jun 20, 2023 Full Review Natalia Winkelman New York Times “Take Care of Maya” is grueling, but it is also oddly deficient, wanting for the precision and perspective essential to deriving insight from profound trauma. Jun 20, 2023 Full Review Archi Sengupta LeisureByte.com The documentary has done a tremendous job of bringing forward a horrendous atrocity that will leave you heartbroken and hopeless in the end. Rated: 4/5 Jul 5, 2024 Full Review Carla Monfort Espinof An interesting documentary that brings attention to the tragedy that many families have had to endure in the face of medical abuse and their lack of understanding when faced with the diagnosis of an unknown disease. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 3/5 Jul 5, 2023 Full Review Sabrina McFarland Common Sense Media Heartfelt documentary drama about determining the right healthcare for a child. Rated: 4/5 Jun 26, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Parya S This documentary is extremely aggravating because we all know this is almost exactly how twisted the system is & cant do a thing about it. Theres good people & bad people with child protective services, you never know who youll be dealt. We have these mental institute belonging cat lady Karens like the one here, who either want a child & cant have one so they prey on other people’s children or theyre just plain mentally ill and miserable and search desperately for reasons to be able to get satisfaction by tripping over their power in removing children from their homes. The system also sides with these people because they all work together & the system is overall complete trash. In this situation there was absolutely zero ABUSE sensed from the mother, the ketamin was advised and prescribed by the doctors & the only thing that took the child’s pain away. The mother was not opposed to them using any other method that ensured her child wasnt in pain, they just were mad at her tone which isnt a reason to destroy a child’s life by removing them from their parents because youre weak minded and cant handle an argument with a worried parent, which by the way IS YOUR JOB TO DO. They responses from sally smith and the other doctor after the mother died was absolutely desgusting. You guys are pigs. Pig is cleaner than you. That all being said, it was absolutely selfish of the mother to do that having two children who need her. No doubt there. Shes weak and selfish ahd wrong for that but had she abused her child by overmedicating? Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/10/25 Full Review Laura G This documentary is egregious sensationalism. It does not merit the label “documentary.” None of the evidence pointing to Maya truly being a victim of medical child abuse was presented, and no education on what this form of abuse entails was presented. The filmmakers should be ashamed of themselves. They have put more children in harms way and have made the job of child protection much harder. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 08/05/25 Full Review CAROL R This is not unbiased journalism. How is it that in approximately a year, the child went from wheelchair bound and "likely to die" from CRPS, a non-fatal condition, to walking with crutches after receiving only physical therapy. What, loving, caring mother would kill herself at the time her child needed her most. If Beata was such a strong woman, why would she kill herself after being temporarily separated from one child when she had another young child at home who needed her. Seems like there is a lot more to this story. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 07/02/25 Full Review Audience Member An engrossing documentary highlighting the battle between parents and hospitals whilst in this case the child suffers immeasurably. The lack of empathy is heart-breaking at times and we see just how brave Maya was during all of this and her awful CRPS and what she went through and still does today. Though it favours the victims without maybe just a touch more balance, the case was completely proven in the court ruling that followed. These stories need to be told. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/10/25 Full Review Sasha B This documentary falls grossly short of the responsibility documentary filmmakers hold in presenting complex stories. Its one-sided portrayal risks perpetuating significant misconceptions about both this specific case and medical child abuse in general. The potential for this misinformation to negatively impact public understanding and, consequently, future victims, is deeply concerning. The film's apparent lack of care in its storytelling is troubling. Seeking additional, balanced information is crucial for those wanting a true understanding of the situation. A dialogue with the filmmakers about the film's impact, particularly on mandated reporters, would be valuable. The film's accuracy is seriously questionable, and the need for accountability should be considered. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/25/25 Full Review roz z Wow what heartbreaking story I was in tears I admire maya mother may she r.i.p may God bless your family wacth over you ❤️ Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/18/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Take Care of Maya

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Take Care of Maya

Take Care of Maya: Clip - Cooperating Take Care of Maya: Clip - Cooperating 1:37 Take Care of Maya: Clip - Build A Family Take Care of Maya: Clip - Build A Family 0:56 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis When nine-year-old Maya Kowalski was admitted to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in 2016, nothing could have prepared her or her family for what they were about to go through. As the medical team tried to understand her rare illness, they began to question the basic truths that bound the Kowalskis together. Suddenly, Maya was in state custody -- despite two parents who were desperate to bring their daughter home. The story of the Kowalski family -- as told in their own words -- will change the way you look at children's healthcare forever.
Director
Henry Roosevelt
Producer
Caitlin Keating
Distributor
Netflix
Production Co
Story Syndicate
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 19, 2023
Runtime
1h 43m
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