Admirable film.

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

13-year-old girl from an upper-middle class home, growing out of her 'daddy's girl' stage and tentatively starting to date, is struggling with a dark secret and finally lays on a bombshell on her mother: she's been the target of molestation by her own father. TV-movie produced with a high level of filmmaking competency (if not craft). The family at the center of this story, as written, isn't very believable, even with Emmy-nominated Glenn Close and Ted Danson cast as the parents; their stilted-bickering interactions both before and after Amelia's revelation aren't convincing. This is the kind of movie where the wife counts the number of weeks her husband hasn't made love to her, leading to her feeling like a scorned woman after digesting her daughter's story. The Emmy-winning teleplay by William Hanley fails, really, to give us a strong, sound foundation in which to build the central drama, while the young heroine (Emmy-winner Roxana Zal) internalizes her pain, becoming a somewhat somnambulant victim.

I watched this film back in the late eighties when someone had recorded it on tape (remember tape?). It was a revelation to me. As I watched, I got more and more uncomfortable, because I realised that I was a victim of abuse myself. It might sound strange that I hadn't realised that what went on in my home was not normal, I assumed it was just how life was. This was before the internet, there was much less access to information, and kids were not warned about abuse in school. This is a powerful film, although a bit depressing that the issue is handled by family counselling, this does allow the viewer some sort of insight into the mindset of those involved, which might have been harder to achieve if the abuser had simply been ejected from home or sent to jail.I think this was a very brave film to make in the time it was made, and I'm grateful that it was made, because it opened my eyes to the situation I was in, and was the first step in seeking help.

An excellent film that handles a difficult topic well. The casting and sets create an atmosphere to let the story unfold in a seemingly average American home, which adds both to the realism and power of this movie. Ted Danson plays the deceptively normal father to the hilt, and the rest of the cast handle their roles with a high degree of believability. This is a powerful film that handles a difficult subject with intelligence and emotion without sensationalizing. Highly recommended.

The film is very well handled for such a sensitive subject. I saw it for the first time just last night, and was surprised to see Danson in the role. This film could serve to help stem the problems faced by our younger generation. I would recommend it as a should see.