When my friend's family was in town a few weeks ago, they kindly invited me to dinner and a movie with them. Of course, I said yes.
I wasn't aware of what movie we would be seeing, but I have always loved going to the movies. I even had a MoviePass subscription in high school and often saw multiple movies a month; I've been a Diamond member of Regal Cinemas for years now—needless to say, I'm a bit of a movie buff.
After a few days went by and the night of the movie approached, my friend let me know what movie we'd be seeing: "Shazam!", a DC Comics film about a trouble-making foster child who seeks to find his birth mother in New York and accidentally becomes a superhero along the way.
As a Marvel fan, I wasn't exactly thrilled to be a watching a superhero movie about a superhero I had never heard of, but I appreciate my friend and her family for inviting me, so I was determined to have a wonderful time regardless of the movie we'd be watching.
The movie started by setting up the character meant to be the villain, but much more interesting was the introduction of Billy, the mischievous foster child who only dreamed of finding his birth mother who he lost at a fair when he was young.
The movie shows Billy throughout his experience at a brand-new foster home. His new foster parents, Victor and Rosa Vasquez, take care of five other foster kids in addition to Billy. The characters grow to love each other throughout the course of the narrative, especially after Billy becomes the superhero, Shazam, and is forced to take down an evil villain.
At surface level, "Shazam!" is a movie about a young boy who becomes a superhero and has to defeat a villain. He learns lessons about himself and family, as do most superheroes within their own respective movies, but what I found the most interesting was the progression of Billy's character and the way his foster parents tend to his tendency to shut out those who want to care for him; after all, Billy really just wants to find his birth mother.
Each of the foster kids living in the home alongside Billy welcomes him with open arms for the most part. Freddy, played by Jack Dylan Grazer (the older version is played by Adam Brody—arguably the BEST casting decision of all time) takes a common interest in superheroes and the pair even become close friends as the movie progresses, comparable to a 'superhero/sidekick' relationship.
Victor and Rosa do an absolutely marvelous job creating a loving home for the children who feel displaced. They love the children as though they are their own, providing them a safe and healthy family environment.
Watching this movie truly had an impact on me as a person. I have always imagined myself raising children someday in the distant future, but witnessing the impact Victor and Rosa were able to have on the lives of the foster children they cared for made me realize just how important foster parents are.
I would absolutely love to be a foster parent someday. I like to think that I have a big heart with plenty of love to give to others. I think that I would be able to provide a loving home for children in need, and I hope that someday, I am able to do so.
