I finally got to this Made-for-TV film! Being a fan of Charles Bronson, I followed the tragic ordeal of Jill Ireland as much as I could. Bronson was her main support during this difficult time in her life dealing with cancer. I had no idea on seeing the film that it would mainly focus on her dealing with their troubled adoptive son, Jason. But I can only imagine the whole ordeal they went through in trying to save this beyond help kid.
Well, let me break it down how I saw it. The late great Jill Clayburgh as Jill Ireland. She did an OK job. There were times she looked dead-on like Ireland and other times not at all. Her accent came and went but all in all she did a good job. Here she was playing a woman who was dying but wanted to save her adoptive son from the horrible drug addiction he was in. She made it her priority to do whatever she could for Jason.
Lance Henriksen as Charles Bronson: An irony of sorts. Here was one of my favorite actors playing one of my all time favorites! How could it miss? But for me it did. Henriksen as good as he truly was, is no Bronson. I felt he was miscast in the role. But he did a commendable job. Bronson was a real private person in real life and Henriksen did convey that several times in his portrayal. His scenes with Jill were convincing and thank goodness the film was more of Ireland & Jason than of Bronson. Because like I said, I felt Henriksen was miscast but did a good job nonetheless.
Neill Barry as Jason McCallum: Wow. This kid did for me an excellent job! He looked and acted like a young Billy Zane! Too bad Barry and Zane did not act together at the time. They could have played brothers in a different film. His scenes as the 'outsider" of the family really were well done. His scenes of the drug use were a little over the top but then again drugs are and can cause way over the top reactions.
Lila Kaye as Dorothy, Jill's mother: I remember Kaye from "American Werewolf in London". She was the bar maid in that one. She gave a very earnest and funny portrayal of Ireland's mother. Had the right energy for it. Nice job.
Jack Gwillim as Jill's father: Even though he had no speaking lines except but to moan or laugh, this great late actor did a nice funny portrayal as Ireland's dad who could not speak because he had suffered a stroke.
Elizabeth Ashley as Vicky: Wow. Ashley did a very great job playing Jason's real mom, Vicky. She only really had 2 scenes: one with Jason and the other with Ireland but man oh man . Was she good! I could almost believe she was Jason's real mom! They really did look somewhat alike! Nice.
Jimmy McNichol & Clint Allen as the McCallum brothers,Valentine & Paul: Really nice casting here. They actually did look very much like the real McCallum brothers! Too bad these two young actors did not do much after this. I felt they had something.
Byron Allen as Himself (TV interviewer) It was nice to see Allen just playing himself, interviewing Ireland on his talk show. Nice little bit for him.
The movie played like a hallmark movie and I thought they were gonna show the demise of both Ireland and Jason but they kept it in words only in the end credits. This movie does deserve at least a one watch viewing. it's good for that.
Well, let me break it down how I saw it. The late great Jill Clayburgh as Jill Ireland. She did an OK job. There were times she looked dead-on like Ireland and other times not at all. Her accent came and went but all in all she did a good job. Here she was playing a woman who was dying but wanted to save her adoptive son from the horrible drug addiction he was in. She made it her priority to do whatever she could for Jason.
Lance Henriksen as Charles Bronson: An irony of sorts. Here was one of my favorite actors playing one of my all time favorites! How could it miss? But for me it did. Henriksen as good as he truly was, is no Bronson. I felt he was miscast in the role. But he did a commendable job. Bronson was a real private person in real life and Henriksen did convey that several times in his portrayal. His scenes with Jill were convincing and thank goodness the film was more of Ireland & Jason than of Bronson. Because like I said, I felt Henriksen was miscast but did a good job nonetheless.
Neill Barry as Jason McCallum: Wow. This kid did for me an excellent job! He looked and acted like a young Billy Zane! Too bad Barry and Zane did not act together at the time. They could have played brothers in a different film. His scenes as the 'outsider" of the family really were well done. His scenes of the drug use were a little over the top but then again drugs are and can cause way over the top reactions.
Lila Kaye as Dorothy, Jill's mother: I remember Kaye from "American Werewolf in London". She was the bar maid in that one. She gave a very earnest and funny portrayal of Ireland's mother. Had the right energy for it. Nice job.
Jack Gwillim as Jill's father: Even though he had no speaking lines except but to moan or laugh, this great late actor did a nice funny portrayal as Ireland's dad who could not speak because he had suffered a stroke.
Elizabeth Ashley as Vicky: Wow. Ashley did a very great job playing Jason's real mom, Vicky. She only really had 2 scenes: one with Jason and the other with Ireland but man oh man . Was she good! I could almost believe she was Jason's real mom! They really did look somewhat alike! Nice.
Jimmy McNichol & Clint Allen as the McCallum brothers,Valentine & Paul: Really nice casting here. They actually did look very much like the real McCallum brothers! Too bad these two young actors did not do much after this. I felt they had something.
Byron Allen as Himself (TV interviewer) It was nice to see Allen just playing himself, interviewing Ireland on his talk show. Nice little bit for him.
The movie played like a hallmark movie and I thought they were gonna show the demise of both Ireland and Jason but they kept it in words only in the end credits. This movie does deserve at least a one watch viewing. it's good for that.