Firstborn

Plot synopsis:
It is the Spring of 1984 in a middle-class New Jersey suburb. Opening up to some very bad 80's pop-rock playing on a clock radio, fifteen year old Jake Livingston is looking outside of his bedroom window and sees a lighted up Chevy Blazer pulling up in his driveway with his mother giving the man driving it a kiss goodnight. He does not recognize the man or the vehicle.The next morning, we get a brief glimpse into the everyday life of these boys. Jake's younger 11 year old brother Brian is playing a Merlin electronic device having stole the batteries out of his Walkman, a nostalgic reminder this was the mid-1980's before hand-held technology was any more advanced. Jake and Brian are a little surly and typical preteen/teen boys, but generally good kids.Jake is walking to class with his buddies (one of whom is Robert Downey, Jr.) and his girlfriend Lisa (future superstar Sarah Jessica Parker). We are introduced to Jake's history teacher Mr. Rader, a miserable smart-ass of a man that enjoys teasing his students about the unfairness of life and playing games with them. He gives the students a quiz and tells them plain out he tricked them. Jake is also on the lacrosse team and having practice.More of the everyday life of the Livingston family with Jake and his buddies coming over to raid the refrigerator and picking on the younger boys. His mother Wendy arrives home to take Jake to get his learners permit. The Livingston's arrive home and Lisa greets Jake. He and Lisa are later in the bedroom doing their homework and when Wendy knocks on his bedroom door calling them for dinner, Jake teases her that they need to put their clothes on first. He opens the door with Wendy's ear pressed to it. She makes them all dinner and tells the kids she's going out for the night.The boys' father Alan comes over to take them out to a nice dinner before he goes to Montreal. Wendy was going to go out with them as well, but Alan's girlfriend Joanne is in town as well. Alan is a successful lawyer, but a kind man to his boys. The boys generally discuss with Alan and Joanne their times at school. Alan announces he and Joanne are getting married. The boys congratulate him, but seem saddened as well. They arrive home that night to find Wendy even sadder.Jake and Lisa are at the yard of a house under construction having a bottle of wine she stole from her parents cellar. They enjoy the afternoon together making outSome school morning later, Jake and Brian hear a coughing in the bedroom from a man they don't recognize. He comes into the kitchen half asleep, red-eyed, and disheveled appearance and awkwardly introduces himself as Sam. The boys are uncomfortable with his presence, but generally courteous.Jake and his lacrosse teammates are being given an instruction in basic hygiene by their coach, due to the possibility of athlete's foot, telling them after they get out of the shower to first dry their head, then their crotch, then their feet. The coach explains to them one time he had a bad case of athlete's foot and by drying his feet first, then his crotch, he got a bad infection from it, losing a testicle.Wendy and her neighbor are in the backyard doing work with Wendy telling her about this guy she's with and that they are totally comfortable with each other, but her neighbor warns her that just because she's on the rebound she should not rush into it. Jake overhears the conversation.Jake and Sam are in the living room gradually warming up to each other with Sam telling him the other morning was not the best way to meet. Sam mentions to Jake he works for a security system company, but wants to have his own business the way others are always trying to rip you off. Sam and Wendy go out on a date for the night.Jake and Brian are playing near a stream and Brian accidentally kills a bird with his slingshot. They arrive back to their home with Sam visiting. He gets Jake a used dirtbike with his mother having paid for it. Sam is preparing a barbecue for the family and tells the boys how he wants to open his own restaurant. Jake is beginning to suspect this man is all talk and a phony because just a few days ago his recent interest was to open his own security company.Jake goes into Brian's bedroom declaring Sam's an asshole. Brian thinks he's okay, but like many intelligent kids, Jake has that built in radar and sense of discernment and can't explain why, he just knows the man is up to no good.Jake and Lisa are at the shopping mall with Jake venting his frustrations to her that the man tries too hard, but Lisa thinks he's being unfair, judgmental and not giving him a chance. But Jake still trusts his instincts.Jake comes home with Sam installing a security system for the house. His mother is preparing a cake. She announces to the boys that Sam is moving with them. Wendy justifies it that she is desperate for companionship, but Sam had to move out of his apartment and probably out of a job. The boys are totally displeased.Jake comes home and Brian has a note that his mother has to sign because he got into a fight. Jake agrees to forge her signature for him, providing Brian's assurance he will never get in another fight.The family is eating at a crowded restaurant that night. Sam is eating an overcooked steak and totally displeased with the food and service. He declares he and Wendy could open a much better restaurant serving mesquite grilled meats and fish if he could buy a piece of real estate and sell it to put up the money for a restaurant. But Jake debunks his idea infuriating Sam. That night they get home, Sam gives Jake a shove and tells him to get off his back.Jake and his buddies are coming over to his house once again after school only to find Sam laying on the couch half-asleep and watching TV. He tells his friends they need to leave so they don't see Sam. That night Jake is in his room doing his homework, but Sam is blasting loud music and Jake unable to concentrate.At school back in Mr. Rader's class, a student is giving a report on the fictional Rocky Balboa. The teacher tells the boy the assignment was about real people that were major contributors of the 20th century. He teases the boy asking him if he believes in the tooth fairy too and that Superman can beat up Rocky. Jake calls the teacher an asshole under his breath, but his teacher hears it and tells Jake to say it to his face and not be a coward. Jake denies it. Mr. Rader assures Jake that his grades are not good enough to get on his bad side and to watch himself.Jake comes home that afternoon with Sam playing pinball and Jake's records. And Brian had a fight with his mother, locking himself in his room.Jake and Brian get up the next morning to find a note written on a paper towel and $40 in cash that Wendy and Sam have gone to Lake George and be home in a few days. After Brian leaves, Jake goes into his mother's messy bedroom hoping to uncover the truth. There is an almost empty wine bottle and glass on the nightstand. He goes into a jewelry box to find a bag of marijuana and bottle of pills, possibly Quaaludes. He also goes into a duffel bag and finds a hash pipe, another bottle of pills, and small amount of cocaine. Then he finds an area with a tool box and carpet ripped on the side. He opens the carpet and cut floorboard to find an open area lined with silver padding, with nothing inside of it.A day or two later, Jake comes home from school through the back door as usual and bumps into a sinister man in the house telling him he's waiting for Sam and that he went out to get some beers. Jake asks the man if he's a friend of Sam's and the man sneers back asking Jake if he is. Jake leaves the house.Wendy and Sam are back with KFC being served for dinner. Sam is watching TV and Jake approaches him in a passive-aggressive way telling Sam he met a friend of his that is an "interesting guy". Jake refuses to elaborate to Sam that remark, but tells Sam the man asked Jake if he was his friend and that he said nothing back. Sam is infuriated at Jake's impudence and tells him to shove it. A fight breaks out and Jake leaves the room.Jake is in bed that night overhearing a garbled conversation with Sam slapping Wendy calling her a bitch.Wendy is out in the backyard planting a flower garden the next day and Jake tells her he shouldn't hit her and that what he's doing is not okay, but Wendy says he's really trying. Of course Jake does not fall for this because he already found drugs in her bedroom. Jake tells her he is a deadbeat, loser, and bullshitter.Jake is in his bedroom lifting a barbell. Sam enters and retrieves the barbell as if it weighs no more than a bag of sugar. He apologizes to Jake for losing his temper and hitting his mother and assures him he's under a lot of pressure, never had a family before, and wants to make the restaurant thing work. Jake sits on the weight bench confidently giving Sam a blank look while he lectures Jake, knowing that this man is all talk because of the drugs he found. Before he leaves, Jake tersely tells Sam to knock next time he wants to come into his room and in return Sam menacingly tells Jake that next time he wants to judge him to not go crying to his mother, but to have the balls to say it to his face.Wendy and Sam are having a party in their living room with The Band's "The Night They Drove Dixie Down" playing. Jake comes out of his bedroom to see Sam doing a line of cocaine on the pinball machine. Sam sees Jake watching him, but seems indifferent to having been caught.The next morning, Jake and Brian go into the messy living room to find Wendy and Sam passed out on the couch.Jake's personal problems at home are escalating and causing him to act out at school. His friends are playing hacky sack during recess and one of them accidentally kicks it into Jake with Jake pushing the kid and almost hitting him.Jake goes home from school to find his mother in her bedroom a disheveled mess because she has to go to Brian's school to meet with the principal because he got into a fight with another kid. Jake tells her he will go instead. He tells the principal that their mom is sick and he doesn't know what will happen and assures her it won't happen anymore.Jake and Brian come into the house. Sam screams at Brian how he's hurting his mother. Brian dismisses him and runs to his room saying "eat shit dickface" to Sam, then locking himself in his room. Sam is infuriated and takes off his belt. Jake tries to stop Sam, who pulls him away and about to punch him in the face. Jake tells him to never touch he or his brother again. Sam leaves that night.Jake comes home from school with his mother sitting at the table doing bills. His father calls up to talk to him and that he wants the boys to visit him in London for the summer. Jake is troubled and probably thinking to himself he won't be alive to see the summer.Jake and Brian meet at a pizza parlor discussing possible plans to leave. Jake comes back to the house with a candlelight dinner and linguini and cookies his mother made. He declares to her she's a coke addict, but she denies it and he tells her how the whole home is falling apart and that he wants Sam out of the house. She refuses to comply with his wishes.Feeling more tense than ever and with his problems at home escalated at an all time high, Jake goes into his history class with Mr. Rader giving back the results of their book reports. Jake received an F on his for plagiarism. He has an outburst with the teacher screaming at him for the way he mistreats the kids and competes with them. He storms out of the classroom and letting off steam riding his dirtbike all over the neighborhood. Just as he is approaching his house, he sees Wendy and Sam in the driveway about to leave in the Blazer.After they leave, Jake goes into the house and discovers a stash of cocaine in the floorboard Jake previously examined. Hoping this will be an opportunity to get rid of Sam, he takes the cocaine and hides it in the chimney of the constructed home he and Lisa made out at.That night at the house, Wendy and Sam are in good spirits, probably on a drug-fueled high with the four of them having take-out Chinese food. Sam assures them that the differences need to stop, and his plans are coming together. Jake pretends to agree with Sam and assures Brian to do the same. Afterwards a doorbell rings and two creepy looking men enter. A minute later they leave disappointed one of them stating "he never had it". Sam calls Wendy into the bedroom. The two of them are screaming and worried to death. Jake tells Brian to leave the house. Sam comes into Jake's bedroom asking him if he knows what he is looking for. Jake tells Sam he does and to leave the house unless he wants him to call the police. Sam is furious, grabs Jake and tells him his mother put up 10,000 for the drugs and she's as involved as he is. Jake refuses to comply and tell him where the stash is and runs away.In a popular 80's cliche'd chase scene, a rock soundtrack ensues with Sam in a furious, drug-fueled frenzy relentlessly chasing Jake all over the town, including tearing down a chain link fence and Jake hitting his dirt bike with another car. Then Jake makes it by foot back to his house.Jake comes into the house and secures all the doors and windows. He's about to call the police, but finds the phone dead. Sam breaks a window to enter the house, grabs Jake, pounds his head on the floor telling him he will hurt his mother if he doesn't comply and tell him where the stash is. Jake agrees.The two of them go to the house where Jake hid the stash. Jake retrieves it. Back on the way home, Sam is now totally calm, but in a sinister way telling him they need to be family and work together no matter what happens, reassuring him of no pain or gain. Jake is beyond saddened and crushed knowing that he has lost the ability to protect his family and that he and his brother now have to live in this nightmare, but Sam is oblivious to his hurt.Back at the house, Wendy has finally come to her senses and packed Sam's bags telling him to get out of the house. She tells him she is fed up with his abuse and does not want him around her boys. Sam refuses, she stands her ground, and he slaps her. Jake hits Sam for it and Sam is mercilessly beating Jake up and Brian comes to Sam hitting him on the back with a baseball bat. Sam is about to beat Jake to death with the bat, but in a popular climactic cliché, Jake kicks him in the crotch with Sam falling over. He leaves and the three are a family again.

Tags: violence, romantic

Review:
Nobody seems to like this drama, probably because it IS at times very depressing and downbeat...and the ending DOES tie things up a little too neatly after going over the top melodramatically.
It's extremely well-acted by all (especially Christopher Collet and a rare dramatic turn from Teri Garr)and the early parts of the story ring powerfully true about the loneliness, confusion and hurt that comes with being a family torn apart by divorce.
The scenes involving the kids and their friends and their dealings at school also feel fresh and very real.
Solidly directed by Michael Apted, "Firstborn" is an affecting 1980's drama that, despite its flaws, will stay with you long after you see it..
First Born is good psychological exploration in the various signs of breakdown of kids dealing with tough family situations.
Here, Christopher Collet (Prayer of the Rollerboys) is Jake Livingston, a fifteen year old kid who lives with his mom (Terri Garr) and younger brother, Brian (Corey Haim).
And, things are fine for a while for Jake, despite his dad going to Montreal to marry his girlfriend, leaving Jake a tad sympathetic of his still single mother.
But things quickly fall apart when his mom's new boyfriend, Sam (Peter Weller), enters the picture, and eventually moves in.
While his mom has dated in the past, there is something about Sam that neither Jake nor Brian can tolerate.
He starts getting violent towards the boy, he starts bringing drugs into the house, and Jake's mother eventually starts falling into the same dangerous patterns as Sam while neglecting her own boys who plead with her to realize what Sam is really all about.
This movie presents the kind of psychological breakdown kids may go through when faced with serious family issues.
He was a good student and spent a lot of time with his friends (one of whom was played by Robert Downey, Jr.) and girlfriend (Sarah Jessica Parker).
Likewise, Brian starts getting into a lot of fights in the schoolyard, beating up the kids he know he can win fights against.
It is a good film, too, to teach of the warning signs to parents, teachers, counselors, and so forth (Jake's dad couldn't be suspicious of anything was going on because he wasn't there to witness the changes in his sons).
It is very well acted, with great performances from Peter Weller, Terri Garr, and especially Christopher Collet (I would have expected to see more acting credits for him).
I really like its unflinching look at the consequences of divorce, from the sadness of the kids to the vulnerability of the mother.
Look for a young Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert Downey Jr., and Corey Haim in supporting roles..
Even a second cousin of mine has brought boyfriends into her home to live who would make Peter Weller's character look saintly by comparison.
Teri Garr, like many deserted or divorced mothers, becomes flattered by the attention she is getting from Peter Weller, and their obvious sexual bonding makes it easy for her to overlook the potential harm to her children that moving him in might cause.
While many critics didn't like that the film adds drug use about midway through, this too is more common than many think.
This was Corey Haim's first film, and his reaction early on when learning that his dad is getting remarried, shows what a fine actor he was.
If you like serious family drama, do yourself a favor and try to find a VHS tape to rent or buy.
It is a heart wrenching but ultimately satisfying movie, and you get to watch early performances by Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Junior.
Paints a good picture of how stress can affect young lives.
Wendy(Garr) is a single mom raising two boys, Jake(Collett) and Brian(Haim).
After seeing that her ex-husband has moved on in his life she gets in a relationship with Sam(Weller).At first Sam seems to be a nice guy, but that soon changes.
She keeps telling the boys that Sam is trying and to be patient but the stress of this affects the boys as well.Jake is a great student, athletic and fun-loving.
Up to this point he has been tolerant of his self absorbed, egomaniac teacher but even starts to become defiant with him as well.Brian avoids home as much as he can and keeps getting into bad fights in school.When Jake discovers that Sam is trafficking drugs through the house he has finally had enough and takes it upon himself to make a stand.This movie is a great example of how a bad relationship can cause stress on more than two lives.
Both the book and the movie were very good..
If you're an 80's film buff, you couldn't ask for anything better than Firstborn.
Peter Weller being creepier than creepy, Cory Haim being earnest, Sarah Jessica Parker being mousy, and Teri Garr addicted to coke.
I found the film looking for more Christopher Collet flicks (he's the dreamy 13-year-old Paul of Sleepaway Camp), and he knocks this role out of the park as an engaging and increasingly troubled teen trying to keep his family together.
Though the subject matter is a little heavy, Apted keeps you riveted, and Firstborn proves itself to be a heartfelt and endearing look at a family ripped apart.
This is not, nor was it intended to be, a happy movie.Wendy, (a great performance by Teri Garr), is a very lonely and extremely vulnerable divorced Mother of two boys.
She is wooed and won by Sam, (Peter Weller), a great guy and perfect husband/father replacement.
Abuse is always one of the issues that emotionally cut me, it doesn't matter what age you are it's always the worst experience for anyone to have not so much on the threat of being hit but how much it truly destroys the life of the victim.This is one of my favorite dramas and films of all time.
I feel it deals with the issue of abuse well by not being heavy handed or preachy.The score I think is great it has one of my favorite themes of all time.
I really like the characters from some supporting characters like Sarah Jessica Parker as Lisa whom at the time I thought was cute and kinda hot is Jake's significant other.
Even best friend Lee played well by Robert Downey Jr. whom is a fun character he's kinda a loose fun sort of guy from his wardrobe reminds me a bit of Ducky's from "Pritty in Pink".
Though these two I don't feel have enough scenes with Jake which to me is the only weak point of the film, I kinda would of liked to see both of them have a hand in Jake's dilemma and help him though it somehow.Even young Corry Haim whom is one of my favorite young actors in the 80's and is sadly no longer with us is great.
Playing a young brother that isn't a stereotypical annoyance but feel like a actual brother.
I like the chemistry between both Jake and him which I feel really carries out the film.
It also made me worry for both their lives as things escalate.Though of course my favorite character is Jake played by Christopher Collet whom I think is an underrated actor.
I like that he has charisma, humor, and he's also one of my favorite fictional heroes because he doesn't bend or take crap from anyone, and he knows when enough is enough to take action.One of the highlight no doubt is that scene with the English teacher whom is just a complete blowhole gives Jake a failing grade on purpose despite Jake actually worked hard and put effort into it.
That pushes Jake over the edge and he then does what I feel any person in that situation should do stand up for himself, I couldn't help but cheer.
It's really surreal seeing one of my favorite actors Peter Weler play a villain; but then a lot of other actors I know and like had there start doing that.
Here he plays a villain you just plain hate and that's the point because scumbags like Sam actually exist.Sam is just horrible, throughout most of the film I just wanted to beat the living crap out of him.
The guy is pretty much a loser, he's a drug dealer as well as drugy, flaky, full of bull crap but worst of all completely abusive and acts like he own everyone and everything.From little moments like when Sam then says some bull crap about playing Jake's records without permission from Jake.
That's like someone taking some of my video games or DVD/Blu Rays and playing them without asking me, that tees me off because not asking anyone's permission to use personal property is practically steeling.Or one really big moment when Sam comes close to crossing the line about to hit Jake and Brian I thought "cmon Sam, lets go right now!" Sorry that sounded bold but that scene made my blood boil to raging hot.We see how things get worse with Sam's presence even to the point of scary.
The house we see gets messier, well may'be not to the point of being a crap hole but you know that it will get there if he's still around.Wendy is a character I don't hate but more like disappointed with as are the kids because you feel she should know better but due to her desperation she's ignoring all common sense and completely irresponsible, which is common with most in that state.One scene that made me want to yell at her was when Jake lied to his real father for his mom over the phone that everything was fine and after that call it looked like Jake was about to cry.
It was heart sinking and almost put a tear in my eye and made me really mad at Wendy I thought "Can't you see what is happening to your family!" Part of the suspense is hoping she's get her common sense back while she still has a family.The film I do feel has a good message about always standing up to abusers, don't let them control your lives they own nobody.
In this one, mom (Teri Garr) is depicted as a weak-willed imbecile, so desperate for a man she will even start taking drugs for one.
The film also once again gives us the old stereotype that parents and children of the opposite sex cannot, or should not, have intelligent discussions about important "adult" things.
i've always liked this movie.
good performances, especially from the kids, and a great portrayal of a desperate divorced woman putting her own happiness ahead of her kids.if it is on DVD, would someone please let me know where i can get it?
"No one will be happy until dragged to Hell and back."If you want to be depressed or get into abusive relationships w/o understanding them, enjoy.
FIRSTBORN (1984) *** Teri Garr, Peter Weller, Christopher Collet, Corey Haim, Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert Downey, Jr.
It's the story of Jake, a young man who's mom starts dating a stranger who introduces his mom to cocaine and things start to go awry...The shocking thing is his mom is played by (GASP) Terri Garr.
Sweet, kind Terri Garr starts dealing cocaine out of their home and doesn't have the good sense to kick this loser out when he starts beating her kids.
Her other son (Corey Haim) is getting into fights at school which is kinda hard to believe since he's like 3'9.
The drug dealer boyfriend is portrayed by Peter (yes, Robocop himself) Weller and he doesn't change facial expressions, once.
Movie has a lot of current stars that were young at the time the movie was filmed.
The movie has a lot of effective elements to get point across.
Terri Garr plays a divorced wife who has to deal with new lover played by Peter Weller.
Movie deals with drug content the troubles with growing up in a broken family.
The teenager has been rebelling at school and battling with his mother, who is dating a creepy new guy, but instead of seeking advice or aid from adults who may just be a bit more knowledgeable than he, Collet takes matters into his own hands.
Suburban melodrama wastes some fine actors, including Teri Garr, Peter Weller and Sarah Jessica Parker on tepid material.
My father and I saw this movie together years ago, and we couldn't get over how down this movie makes you feel.
Peter Weller I want to always remember as RoboCop, the good guy going after the foul-mouthed drug pushers.
Teri Garr's role as a coked-out party mom was old after the first half hour.
Domestic drama that is played too much like an ABC after school special.
Teenager Collet gets the brass you-know-what's to stand up to Weller in one of the silliest fight scenes ever filmed.
Look for a young Corey Haim, if there are any fans of his left..
(Some Spoilers) There was already trouble brewing at he Livingston home with the husband and father Alan Livingston , Richard Brandon,of the two young boys Jake and Brian, Christopher Collet & Corey Haim,leaving his wife Wendy, Terri Garr, for another woman Joanne, Gayle Harbor.
Still you know that something is really hit the fan when the mysterious drifter Sam,Peter Weller, all of a sudden popped up and slowly wormed his way into Wendy's heart and into her home.The two boys, especially Jake, saw right through Sam's phony front as a former independent contractor now working for this local security firm.
In fact Sam was a low echelon coke dealer trying to make it to the big time in the local drug trafficking business.
With Wendy going through a bout of severe depression, by being left by herself, she was more then happy to get someone who she felt was a good husband, or boyfriend, and father to her two boys.
Loving towards Wendy and friendly to Jake & Brian at first Sam begins to show his true colors feelings and motives.
He tuns the family home into a local drug den where he deals with all these unsavory characters stooping over to buy and sell dope.
Sam uses the fear of Wendy's sons knowing that she'll be arrested along with him as a co-conspirator in his drug dealings.
The film "Firstborn" does a good job showing how an American family goes through a crisis period after it's left without it's bread-winner The movie not only reflects on the wife, Wendy, but the two children, Jake & Brian.
The ending of the movie was about the only drawback to it by trying to tie everything together and make things Right.
I knew I had seen another movie like it before, and finally the movie First Born came to mind as way superior.
This depressing, after-school special type of movie features Peter Weller (Robocop '87) and Terri Garr (Mr. Mom, a great movie).
Jakes mother and father have divorced and now with his father gone he is man of the house until Sam shows up and starts dating his mother Wendy.At first he seems to be OK but quickly Jake and his brother Brian see Sam is not the person he made himself out to be.Sam moves in and starts to act like A jerk.Wendy however is totally out of it and desperate for A relationship so she goes along thinking he's the perfect guy for her.Jake and Brian are not fooled even after Sam buys Jake A motorcycle.Sam starts being abusive towards Wendy and starts selling drugs.Jake is determined to get this man out of the house and will stop and nothing to do so.I liked it A lot I thought the acting was really good.
FIRSTBORN tells the emotionally powerful but sad story of a divorced Mother (Terri Garr) who feels lonely and despondent.
Jake (Christopher Collet) and Brian.
(Corey Haim.) Predictably, the family begins to fall apart.
Brian begins to have fights in school, Jake once outgoing, charismatic, and fun, becomes short-tempered to his friends and teachers, and Mother Wendy who initially along with the family believed that Sam was in contract security systems, discoverers something far more horrifying.
Sam is a drug-dealer and he has Jake and Brian's mother addicted to cocaine.
It is now up to the older son Jake, to protect Brian, his mother, and himself, from Sam's growing abuse towards them, and to get Sam out of the house before Sam does irreversible damage to the already shattered family.The scenes for the most part are realistic and the film does a good job of conveying a dark image of the decent into abusive family trauma.
Just don't expect to feel very happy when you are watching this movie or after it ends.
However, other than the "too long" fight scene, the film is well done and one that I would recommend..
I didn't think this movie was all that good, probably why it isn't on DVD (as of Spring 2008).I couldn't empathize with any of the characters.
I felt pity for Teri Garr's character, but a lot of her character's problems were her own doing especially when she observed RoboCop being abusive to her kids...
Teri Garr, Peter Weller, Christopher Collet, Corey Haim, Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr. star in this 1984 drama.
Garr (Mr. Mom) plays Wendy, a divorcée who has 2 children, Jake (Collet) and Brian (Haim).
Weller (Robocop) plays Sam, the new man in her life who seems like a decent guy until Jake learns he's an abusive, drug-dealer.
Jake intends to look out for his family and stand up to him.
Parker (Sex and the City) plays Jake's girlfriend, Lisa and Downey Jr.
(Iron Man) plays his friend, Lee. I remember this used to be on TV a lot years ago.
It's pretty good, Weller is great in it and the rest of the cast isn't bad.