Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
When Jack and Beata Kowalski are wrongfully accused of child abuse after their 10-year-old daughter Maya visits the ER, a nightmare unfolds.
Take Care of Maya is a harrowing documentary about the Kowalski family's nightmare with Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and child protective services. The plot is genuinely gripping and emotionally devastating, unfolding like a thriller rooted in real institutional horror — the wrongful abuse accusations, the forced separation, and the tragic consequences keep tension high throughout. The cinematography is competent and functional documentary work, with talking-head interviews and archival materials handled professionally but without distinctive visual ambition. Novelty is moderate: while the subject matter of medical abuse and CPS overreach is not entirely uncharted, the specific details of Maya's rare CRPS diagnosis, the ketamine treatment controversy, and the shocking outcome give the film a distinctly singular character. The ending — encompassing the civil trial outcome and the full emotional weight of Beata's fate — lands with extraordinary force, elevating the film well above the average documentary conclusion.