The Cider House Rules is a 1999, Academy Award-winning film, directed by Lasse Hallström, based on The Cider House Rules, a 1985 novel by John Irving.

Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire), an un-adopted orphan, is the film's central protagonist. Homer grew up in an orphanage directed by Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine). Dr. Larch is also secretly an abortionist, and believes that he is doing "The Lord's Work" and trains Homer in the realm of gynecology/abortions in a paternal sense.

The film continues as Homer decides to leave the orphanage with Candy Kendall (Charlize Theron) and her boyfriend Wally Worthington (Paul Rudd), a young couple who work at the Worthington family apple orchard. Wally leaves to fight in World War II. While Wally is away, Homer and Candy have an affair. Later, Wally's plane is shot down and he becomes paralyzed from the waist down. When he returns home, Candy decides that she must take care of him and not be with Homer.

Mr. Rose (Delroy Lindo) and his team are migrant workers who are employed seasonally at the orchard by the Worthingtons. Mr. Rose impregnates his own daughter, Rose Rose (Erykah Badu), and Homer performs an abortion for her. Homer decides to return to the orphanage after the death of Dr. Larch, and works as the new director.

Due to time constraints, the film excludes many portions of the novel, including the characters Melony (another orphan) and Angel (Candy and Homer's secret child) who were major characters in the book.

PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexuality, nudity, substance abuse and some violence.

Many pro-life groups had the same complaints about the movie as they did about the novel in that it seemed to promote abortion as a necessary part of American society.