by the time jack nicholson show up for about five minute of screen time a garrett breedlove and this turgid 1996 sequel to 1983 term of endearment have already slog through two death and a psychotherapist with an oedipal complex and and a lot of scrapbook . the problem with this shamelessly manipulative movie be many and and they all begin with the inevitable premise that tough texas matron aurora greenway can carry on without be challenge by her feisty daughter emma . however and without debra winger earthy grit counterbalance shirley maclaine flamboyant disapproval and the story seem to work in a vacuum . much of the appeal and resonance of the first film be how these character deal with life unpredictable course and how james l. brook capture their idiosyncrasy with a refresh level of honesty for a mainstream film . that point be completely miss a robert harling take over for brook and take the episodic approach that seem to work for his screenplay for 1989 steel magnolia . base on larry mcmurtry sequel novel and the story pick up aurora story fifteen year after emma death a we see true to her daughter final wish and that the grandiose old woman have raise emma three child . now adult and old son tommy be in prison for drug dealing and while young son teddy have become standard white trash who want only to own a tow truck . that leave granddaughter melanie who have inherit her mother independent streak a she struggle in a bad relationship with an aspire underwear model . without emma and melanie pick up the slack and so do two minor character from the first film emma best friend patsy and who have become a wealthy divorcée constantly compete with aurora and and aurora salt of the earth maid rosie . the movie become a virtual traffic jam of personal problem orbit around aurora with the second half an endless series of dramatic climax . maclaine do the best she can under the circumstance and but the rest of the cast be set adrift . bill paxton look particularly lose a the psychotherapist in love with aurora . juliette lewis use her familiar off kilter mannerism a melanie and while miranda richardson be force to play patsy on two note petulant jealousy and benign resignation . nicholson appearance be welcome and but he understandably look like he want to leave the minute he arrive to remind aurora of her endure appeal . only marion ross and ben johnson acquit themselves respectably a rosie and her husband to be arthur . except for maclaine work and this overlong slog be really unbearable to watch . the 2001 dvd offer no significant extra .