The very charismatic Mark-Paul Gosselaar goes up against a veteran cast of actors and comes out triumphant as the teenage son of Geoffrey Pierson and and Julie Hagerty, dealing with the sudden announcement that his parents are getting a divorce. Along with his younger sister (who fortunately doesn't become cloying or annoying while trying to be overly cute and sentimental), he objects to the decision and decides to take his parents to court to see that they reconcile. Of course, he needs an attorney, and finds that with the father of a friend, none other than the fabulous Alan Arkin, once again playing a quirky character who is smarter than he seems and absolutely convincing even if the situation seems farfetched.
Best known as the sweet flight attendant from the comedy classic "Airplane!", Hagerty is more than just the stereotypical perfect mom, and it's wonderful how she treats her children as very important in the divorce action, not going out of her way to attack her husband, but leaning on them for support and showing her love. Pierson is great too, and thanks to the script, these characters are not at all stereotypical but truly fleshed out and believable. Donald Moffat is absolutely perfect as the supportive grandfather. Thanks to a top-notch grip and smooth direction, this is a family drama that is instantly easy to get into, and I didn't feel at all like tuning out at any time like I do with most films of this nature. Gosselaar and Arkin play off each other terrifically, and they add necessary lightness to the dramatic situation, which gives very subtle comedy that makes this both moving and amusing, and also hope that future writers about family situations like this can learn how to create family films that lack all those hideous cliches that have taken over in movies and television today.
Best known as the sweet flight attendant from the comedy classic "Airplane!", Hagerty is more than just the stereotypical perfect mom, and it's wonderful how she treats her children as very important in the divorce action, not going out of her way to attack her husband, but leaning on them for support and showing her love. Pierson is great too, and thanks to the script, these characters are not at all stereotypical but truly fleshed out and believable. Donald Moffat is absolutely perfect as the supportive grandfather. Thanks to a top-notch grip and smooth direction, this is a family drama that is instantly easy to get into, and I didn't feel at all like tuning out at any time like I do with most films of this nature. Gosselaar and Arkin play off each other terrifically, and they add necessary lightness to the dramatic situation, which gives very subtle comedy that makes this both moving and amusing, and also hope that future writers about family situations like this can learn how to create family films that lack all those hideous cliches that have taken over in movies and television today.