Going Home

After a long and acclaimed career, Jason Robards leaves us with an above-average telefilm, GOING HOME. Unfortunately, as of this writing you won't find this movie on VHS or DVD. (UPDATE 2007: Now available as Region 1 DVD). More than likely if you see this at all it will be by way of our friends at Lifetime Movie Network. This aired originally in March of 2000 and Mr. Robards died, after battling cancer, eight months later. There was something about Jason Robards that lifted even otherwise poor small-screen films to a higher level. This Made-For-TV drama, however, is actually quite good; with Jason Robards showing that even at his most difficult times personally, he could still carry a film. GOING HOME is worthy of seeing anyway, but it is must-see being Robards' final on-screen performance.

And his performance elevates this made-for-television effort into an enjoyable 94 minutes of a competent cast and crew and a grown-up script which never gets maudlin and doesn't hammer home the emotional points. It is now released in one of those cheaper DVDS which includes nothing extra, not even promos (PTL)with the bonus of a bare bones price to match. Sherry Springfield is wonderfully natural in a great performance. Clint Black should stick to his country and western performances, here he's not a very convincing doctor, all twinkly-eyed even when a level of profundity is called for. Good music and the rest of the cast enhance this final showcase for Jason, looking feeble but going out with a bang. 7 out of 10. Lovely music by Alan Williams.

This was a TV movie about a daughter who must choose between her career as a book editor at a high-powered New York city firm, or returning home to take care of her aging father whose mental state is deteriorating. I note a previous user comment confused this with a TV series called "Going Home". This is a movie for all "caregivers" of parents or other loved ones and I have been awaiting it's release on video.