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Top > Lesbian Movie Reviews > Article
Lesbian Movie Review: What Makes a Family / Lifetime Television (2001)
By Kaylee Larson, LesbianLoveNow.com
Based on a true story, the made-for-TV Lifetime Network movie, What Makes a Family (directed by Maggie Greenwald), is a riveting movie that shows what can go wrong when a happy family loses a loved one. In a perfect world, a family comes together to mourn the loss of the departed, gives much-needed comfort to each other, and learns to move on together. This drama, however, portrays the unfortunate reality that the person who was lost may have been the one element keeping the family together.
In this dramatic movie, Brooke Shields plays Janine Neilsen, a 30-something lesbian who has recently come to accept her own sexuality, thanks to the support of her new friend and lover, Sandy Cataldi (Cherry Jones). In a rather short period of time, Janine and Sandy exchange marriage vows, and they decide to start a family together. Sandy becomes artificially inseminated and gives birth to their daughter, Heather.
Their life is going smoothly until one day, five years after Heather’s birth, Sandy is diagnosed with lupus, and she passes away. Janine now finds herself mourning the loss of her partner and is also faced with the panic of losing her daughter after Sandy’s parents sue to gain custody of Heather. Subsequently, Heather is handed over to Sandy’s parents under the state law giving blood relatives custody of children. This event is particularly shocking to Janine, as she had previously enjoyed a close relationship with Sandy’s parents.
After losing her entire family, Janine becomes utterly distraught, eventually ending up in a psychiatric hospital. By this time, all hope that Janine had to get her daughter back has been lost. However, following her release, a clearly determined Janine realizes that even though she has lost her support system with the passing of her lover, she still has a fighting chance to get back the most important remaining piece of her life. Janine hires a top legal attorney, Terry Harrison (Whoopi Goldberg) to help her win back her daughter.
What Makes a Family is a true gem in the way that it portrays an actual real-life lesbian family experience, showing the deep love that exists between two partners, the incredible losses a partner can face, and the resolve that prevails in the face of defeat. This movie is a powerful tear-jerker that is sure to tap into the emotions of any viewer, whether gay or straight, as the fight for love is the common thread that binds us all together. Check your local listings for the re-airing of this exclusive Lifetime Network movie.
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