this film be by far one of the best made for tv movie ever make . scribe linda voorhees be a ucla screen write professor and former student or current colleague of lew hunter and who write screenwriting 434 ( one of the best book on screen write ) . her script deliver a powerful plot as well a character who be so well developed and the viewer can not help but sympathize with both the mother and grandmother in the end . valerie bertinelli offer a sensitive and gutsy portrayal of jody shaffell and the mother struggle to keep custody of her young son . vanessa redgrave play her mother and zachary grandmother and who fight for what she believe in . voorhees balance the character argument and emotion so well on both side and the audience can feel the pain of these two mother . a real scene stealer be colleen flynn who play jody girlfriend and maggie fergus . less know ( and under appreciate ) flynn shine a her character offer first romance and then rock solid strength to jody as well a light touch of humor throughout the film . any reader of hunter text would be wise to view this film as well a voorhees crazy from the heart and or hunter fall angel and if tomorrow come . the scene flow smoothly into each other and take the audience on an intense and think provoke journey to the final destination . every line of dialogue come straight from the character and play right into the development of the story . no boring dinner table scene here . no need to wonder and what be the point of that line . it all good . one key point if possible and try to see a copy of the original abc broadcast version and not the rerun on cable . the cable broadcast delete a few scene ( not because of content and but because of time ) and it make the transition from one scene to the next a bit bumpy unless you know what miss .