La Promesse

Among hundreds of nearly worthless made for TV movies, this rare gem shines. James Woods performance as a mentally handicapped adult is one of the best of his career. The script is sensitively written and the dialog will touch your heart. I only wish this film were available on DVD or VHS.

With a mantle of an unprecedented five Emmy awards, Promise should still be watched by modern audiences. Don't be put off by the year of release and dismiss it as part of the "disease of the week" tv movies of the 1980s. It's still just as relevant today, because mental illness has become more prevalent. James Woods plays James Garner's brother with a host of mental problems. In the film, he's labeled as schizophrenic, but modern audiences can pick out autism, agoraphobia, manic depression, and OCD in his performance. This role is an absolute tour-de-force for Woods. He has a constant intense energy, even when he's retreating within himself and watching infomercials. He has childlike sensitivity and bursts into tears when his feelings get hurt. When happy and excited, we can literally see him spiral out of control. When depressed, we see the light in his eyes shut off as he withdraws and indulges all the negative voices in his head. There are times when this movie will be very hard to watch, and times when all you'll want to do is reach into the television and give Woods a hug.

James Garner is also wonderful in this movie, and he also has a very realistic character. He loves his brother, but he doesn't want to permanently burden himself with caring for him. He's embarrassed, he loses his temper, but ultimately he's sorry for both of them. Garner starts off the movie with a successful real estate business, tons of friends in town, and a budding romance. When he inherits his brother after their mom dies, it's a lot to take in, especially when he's in the middle of grieving. Piper Laurie is an old flame with a heart of gold, but can she help soften his edges?

Keep your eyes open for a beautiful blonde with a sensational figure. Do you recognize her cute little smile? It's Barbara Niven in her debut (but she's billed as Barbara Lee Alexander), and how adorable that she got her start on Hallmark and is still with the network thirty years later! The rest of the movie really isn't adorable, but it is very touching and emotional. Make sure you're in the mood for something this heavy, and get ready for a very well-acted movie.

Yes, Garner can cry and seem masculine at the same time better then all. James Woods is unparalleled in his ability to play a distraught over the edge personality. That is not what makes this movie.

James Garner, James Woods, an award winning director et alia come together to give a rarity--no dissolution into non-reality trickery. How's that for pompous "review-speak"? What I mean is that this movie manages to give the feeling that you are watching the character's lives unfold in front of you. The lives take center stage, not tricks of writing, acting, or directing.

This is the difference between maudlin "disease of the week" movies and what they try to imitate, movies such as this rarity.

Watch this movie to see a "real" movie. Oddly enough this compelling reality reminds me of "Twelve Angry Men"--totally different, yet real also.

This TV-Movie is totally character-driven, and while the script is important, it's success is primarily reliant on the acting. On this count, you'll never see a TV movie deliver more brilliantly on it's potential than this one.

Of course James Woods gives a spectacular performance. It's not just that he earns his reputation as a top-notch actor here; he goes beyond that to achieve what arguably may be the definitive portrayal of schizophrenia on television OR in film.

But what is most stunning for me about this film is the acting of James Garner. Playing the less showy part of Woods' sane brother, he matches Woods in acting excellence at every step, perfectly complementing the other's work. Mr. Garner has been one of the most reliable actors on the big or small screen for almost half a century, but what he does here goes beyond reliability to something approaching greatness. James Garner is one of the most underrated actors of our time, and nothing proves it more than this film.

"Promise" is an exceptionally good made for television movie. The acting is wonderful but it also is well worth seeing because it exposes a serious and usually neglected problem...the lack of programs to deal with the millions of folks dealing with mental illnesses.

When the film begins, Bob (James Garner) is dealing with his mother's death. However, what you don't initially see is Bob's brother, D.J. (James Woods)...another responsibility Bob needs to take care of now that their mother is dead. It seems that D.J. is chronically mentally ill and is unable to care for himself...and that sure complicates Bob's life. He clearly wants nothing to do with D.J. but he promised his mother long, long ago that he'd watch over D.J. after her death. Much of the film consists of Bob learning to care about this estranged brother as well as his coming to realize that this responsibility is just too much for him to handle.

This is naturally a sad film. What's worse is that it exposes a serious unspoken problem--that there simply are very few facilities to deal with the severely mentally ill--whether in-patient or within the community. There are waiting lists, expenses and other hurdles the average person might not be able to handle...and the film is about Bob's struggle with this and his promise. Well done in every way but be forewarned...it's certainly NOT a feel-good movie!