Promise (1986)
Director: Glenn Jordan
Starring: James Garner, James Woods, Piper Laurie
Synopsis:
A man struggles to keep the promise to his late mother to look after his schizophrenic brother.
Impressions:
To say that mental illness doesn't usually get a sensitive portrayal in the media is an understatement, but this is a striking and poignant look at a man's well-meaning efforts to take care of someone with schizophrenia. The movie is carried almost entirely by James Garner and James Woods, who are both excellent. I like how Bob is somewhat on the grey side. He means well, but he's ill-equipped for the task and he's spent most of his life running away from the problem out of selfishness. It's a very human portrayal. There's no magic cure and hope spots are deceptive. It's definitely sad but not to the point of being depressing. It's worth seeing and I definitely recommend it.
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