The Promise

Here's what I think the lines in the scene where Bill was convicted should have been; Judge: Jury, have you agreed on a verdict? Jury Foreman: Yes! We've agreed, your honor. Judge: Please hand the verdict to the bailiff. Will the defendant please rise? On the count of murder in the first-degree, how do you find the defendant? Jury Foreman: We find the defendant guilty. Judge: For several years, we lost 6,488 souls in battles fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. But during those several years, 11,766 women were killed, but by their own spouses. This is a war that we, in this country, refuse to address. It has to stop because things have gotten so dire that this is what a victory looks like and I am sorry folks but today was no victory. This case should not be closed because when it comes to domestic violence, there needs to be change on a cultural level and that change needs to start with each and every one of you. Sentencing one week from today. Court is dismissed. Randall Stoller: Hey, Dan, thank you. Thank you so much. Dan Rosen: As for the kids, they're amazing, you know. Joanne Stoller: I know. Dan Rosen: See you at sentencing. Joanne Stoller: Thanks again, Dan. Dan Rosen: Yeah. Doris Miles: Joanne? Randall? This is a little awkward but, well, now that it's done, we'd really like to see the kids from time to time. Harold Miles: I mean, we can understand if they don't want to. Joanne Stoller: Listen, you'll always be their grandparents. Call us. OK? Harold Miles: Yeah. Thanks.

I've seen this film maybe three times now. I've thoroughly enjoyed the film but there are couple elements that in my opinion are not quite believable. First off let me say that this is only my opinion and I have no expertise in spousal abuse.

The premise for this movie begins with a mother trying to get herself and her three kids away from her clearly very abusive husband. Now the oldest of her three kids is a teenager-- I'd say about 16. Are we suppose to believe that this mother tolerated this obviously violent man's abuse for 16 years of marriage and then suddenly decided she needed to get away after all these years. I know some women in abusive relations don't do anything about the problem at first because they are in love with their man but 16 years?! I'm just not sure I believe it would happen that way.

The other element that seems less than realistic is the grandparents-- parents of the abusive husband. More often or not an abusive spouse is as abusive as he/she is because thats how he/she was treated as a child. Its a chain. In this movie the parents of the abusive husband make one or two appearances and they are the nicest, sweetest older couple imaginable. So where did all the husband's violence come from? This doesn't make sense to me.

As I said I'm no expert in these matters; this is just my humble opinion but if it wasn't for these two elements I would have likely given this film a 10. As it is I gave it an 8.

I usually do not watch this type of movie unless it is based on a

book by a well known author, but I found this story unusual in that I

found excellent character development, good acting, a truly serious

treatment of spousal abuse, and a ton of suspense. I found

myself fearing the abuser, and waiting with baited breath for his

capture. Well done. The children were fine actors, and the abuser

was effectively underacted, and really scary. The grandparents

were very convincing, also fine actors. I recommend this movie if it

comes on TV again. Although this plot is frequently shown in

movies and on TV, this is one of the better and more realistic

treatments I have seen. I am not familiar with the starring actors,

but they look so familiar that you can empathize with them. I hope

these actors receive more attention from central casting. I rated

this movie "7".

I can accept the fact this guy wasn't abusive throughout the marriage but grave money problems and a mid-life crises when he could not fulfil his dream to be self-employed doing whatever drove him around the bend. Obviously their standard of living had plummeted and he regarded the meal she served him as dog food.

The shortcoming of the movie was the police side. A man shooting his wife with the three kids in the house would have been a major news story in almost all communities. His picture would have been on TV and in the papers. The guy is striking in appearance with long blond air. Yet he avoids capture, and there is no mention even of sightings, without his changing his appearance, to close-cropped hair, beard, mustache, a few tattoos, a baseball cap. Living from hand to mouth, he would start to appear quite seedy as well. He even walks onto to the school yard and no one pays attention and the teacher who finally chased him didn't seem to recognize him.

Otherwise it was solid dramatic effort from all concerned, and having been a kid who listened to Ozzie and Harriet on the radio, and then a teenager who danced to Ricky, I was happy to see the next generation making her way in the business.