The pairing of Linda Lavin and Kristy McNichol as mother and daughter in this TV movie works because they really seem to enjoy being together and have good chemistry, even when the two are arguing. Levin is separated from her husband, and has moved along with daughter McNichol to a new town with the new job. Everything is fine until various men start popping into mom's life, and McNichol hopes that she'll be able to get her parents back together. The fight scenes between the two are very realistic and don't resort with McNichol getting a slap, something that is usually utilizing in films of this nature. It's obvious that you do the closest and best interest at heart, even if McNichol at times is rather possessive.
There's a great scene when they go to a resort hotel and McNichol befriends the lifeguard while Lavin accept a dinner date with a portly older man who is Charming in spite of looking more like Lavin's father than someone to go out with. Patrick O'Neal, Max Gail and Lawrence Pressman (as the estranged hubby) are good in support, but it would have been nice to have more details of the reasons why Lavin and her husband began having issues outside of his affair. While a good, not a great film, it's very movie of the week in tone, managing to create likable characters and avoid a lot of cliches. We've seen this plot a ton of times before, and Lavin is basically playing a less assertive version of Alice which allows her to show more depth.
There's a great scene when they go to a resort hotel and McNichol befriends the lifeguard while Lavin accept a dinner date with a portly older man who is Charming in spite of looking more like Lavin's father than someone to go out with. Patrick O'Neal, Max Gail and Lawrence Pressman (as the estranged hubby) are good in support, but it would have been nice to have more details of the reasons why Lavin and her husband began having issues outside of his affair. While a good, not a great film, it's very movie of the week in tone, managing to create likable characters and avoid a lot of cliches. We've seen this plot a ton of times before, and Lavin is basically playing a less assertive version of Alice which allows her to show more depth.