Show of the week
It could have been a disease-of-the-week weeper, but this restrained Hallmark Hall of Fame production adapts the true story of an art-magazine editor and her mentally ill sister into a generally clear-eyed drama of family dynamics.
In scenes from their girlhood in Virginia, we see Judy (Hallee Hirsh) torn between love for Christine (Kimberly Brown from Rose Red; see page 25) and embarrassment at the behavior brought on by her schizo-affective disorder. The adult Judy (Elizabeth Perkins) works in New York City, while her mother (Lynn Redgrave) tends to Christine (Kathy Bates) back home. When Mom dies, Judy tries to take greater sisterly responsibility without letting Christine dominate her life. It's hard to maintain that balance, and the film doesn't pretend otherwise—though Judy has the aid of an incredibly patient boyfriend (Clark Gregg). The drama is worth seeing just for Bates, who makes her troubled character both exasperating and sympathetic.
Bottom Line: It's a keeper
