Shattered Spirits

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Shattered Spirits
Shattered Spirits cover.jpg
VHS cover art
GenreDrama
Written byGregory Goodell
Directed by Robert Greenwald
Starring Martin Sheen
Melinda Dillon
Matthew Labyorteaux
Lukas Haas
Roxana Zal
Music by Michael Hoenig
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerPaul Pompian
ProducerRobert Greenwald
Cinematography John Jensen
EditorRobert Florio
Running time93 minutes
Production companiesRobert Greenwald Productions
Sheen/Greenblatt Productions
Original release
Network ABC
ReleaseJanuary 6, 1986 (1986-01-06)

Shattered Spirits is a 1986 American television drama film directed by Robert Greenwald, starring Martin Sheen, Melinda Dillon, Matthew Labyorteaux, Lukas Haas, and Roxana Zal. Sheen plays Lyle Mollencamp, an alcoholic father who loses his family. [1]

Contents

Plot

Lyle Mollencamp is an alcoholic. His wife, Joyce, struggles to cover their family's distress. His three children react in different ways: Kenny has become rebellious; Lesley has totally immersed herself in school activities, and 8 year old Brian has been shielded from his father's problems. That's only until Lyle's drinking costs him his job and spoils Brian's birthday. For Kenny it's the last straw. The confrontation between father and son is so explosive that Lyle must deal with his problem. Lyle goes into rehab for 86 days and returns home for an outdoor picnic. He immediately orders changes and dominates the family. In a fit of rage, he storms off and buys a bottle of liquor. He returns home with the bottle unopened. The movie ends on hope with the father a far way from recovery.

Cast

Reception

Los Angeles Times reviewer Lee Margulies says the film outlines the well known pernicious effects of alcoholism on the Mollencamp family. The film chronicles the grim, often painful detail of "the lives of alcoholic Lyle Mollencamp, his weak, apologetic wife and their three emotionally scarred children." Margulies praised the depiction of the toll taken on the family from the father Lyle (Martin Sheen)'s lies, denial and guilt and the mother Joyce (Melinda Dillon)'s enabling weakness, which leads to a broken home. He finds a uniformly excellent cast and especially likes Matthew Laborteaux "the 15-year-old boy who is most affected by, yet least forgiving, of his father's behavior." [2]

References

  1. "Shattered Spirits". Rotten Tomatoes. 2018-04-19. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  2. Margulies, Lee (January 6, 1986). "TV Review: 'Shattered Spirits': A New Approach". www.latimes.com. Retrieved April 29, 2020.