Dylan Keyne
OK, so this is a made-for-TV movie, so don't go expecting Ocar-winning performances..... Adopt that outlook and this film will have you blown over!! For such an unusual subject matter as a beaten husband, it takes a very good actor to play that role convincingly. The character must be portrayed not as a cowering weakling, nor an angry, affronted paragon of masculinity... But as a normal, real man. There is only ever one REAL man in the movie industry and he's right here in the lead role - Peter Strauss.By Real Man, I do mean that he responds as most real men would when suddenly battered by the one person they love beyond all else... Out of love. People who love stay with their beloved, as long as they can and you can feel every moment of angst in Strauss's performance. Even at the very end, you can tell he has nothing but absolute love for his wife and what he does is done because of that love.This is my first film with Judith Light and several other cast members. Light's performance as a loving yet unhinged wife did come across as slightly over-the-top, but that just makes it necessarily dramatic and hammers home effectively the years of abuse in the 95 minutes such a production is limited to.The supporting cast too deliver their roles well, but as with all such acting styles that find their way into TV movies, you have to watch closely to see the best of it as, just like in real life, it is very subtle.For some reason, this film attracted a lot of negativity from certain womens groups. Perhaps because, like most people, they don't believe such a thing could ever be true and are just as shocked when they discover it is far more prevalent than anyone could imagine.Conclusion: Another ABSOLUTE must see from the Strauss repertoire!!
harrygutierrez
I have not been able to see this movie all the way through because I never know when it's showing on TV. Also, I have to be careful not to draw attention to my search for it because I don't know how my wife would take it. The subject matter is seriously personal and there has never been any other movie addressing it, that I'm aware of. My wife has a violent temper that I did not find out about until after we were married. After 25 years of marriage she is finally mellowing out but she refuses to discuss her abusive actions nor to seek professional help. I have done all that I can to keep our children from being emotionally ruined and they are able to discuss it now that they are older. I am looking for 2 copies of the movie on DVD. Apparently, CBS first aired it in 1993 but does not own it. So, they cannot copy it.I'm trying to figure out who owns it and can provide copies.I can use some help.
Lone_____Fang
I love to watch violence just like anyone else who is a desentized freak of my generation. I thought this movie was going to like any other domestic abuse shocker, cept it was about a GUY!, i realized after the first half hour that this was as a real concern as female abuse and that it was real, it broke some mental barriers and also showed how even after the struggle and shocking abuse this man(a 9-5er)can also heal.
It was able to show reality, sadness and pain. It was a real heart tugger
Willow192
I have never heard of men being abused by their wives until I saw this movie. Although it's not hard to believe. It's a drastic change from most lifetime movies which have to do with a woman being beaten by her husband until the last 5 minutes of the movie where she finally goes to the police.The only way that the movie is really different is that the sex roles are switched around. It does make a good point though. People look at men who are abused by their wives as being weak. Strauss's character makes an excellent point when he asks if hitting his wife back would make him a man.
So Strauss goes though just about the whole movie until his wife hits their child. That's when they get into a big brawl and fall through the window. His wife is knocked unconscious but he is still OK, so the police take him in and don't believe his story.This is a perfect example of double standards put upon men. They don't want to tell because they won't be believed or they will be seen as weak. This wasn't the best movie. Acting from Strauss was pretty good. Judith Light, the queen of all TV movies was horrible and an over actor as usual. Ashley Johnson was very cute but not to the point of annoyance.
AD
