IMMEDIATE FAMILY

US, 1989, 95 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Close, James Woods, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kevin Dillon, Jane Greer.
Directed by Jonathan Kaplan.

Immediate Family was co-written by Barbara Benedek (co-author of The Big Chill) and produced by Lawrence Kasdan (Big Chill, Body Heat, Accidental Tourist). The director is Jonathan Kaplan (Mr Billion, The Accused).

The film focuses on a middle-aged couple who are desirous of having a child but cannot. It also focuses on a young couple, the girl pregnant, their not being able to bring up the child. By agreement, the couples meet and the adoption, immediately after birth, is arranged.

The film shows the almost perfect couple, in their perfect home (Vancouver standing in for Seattle). They contrast with the young couple, needing money and employment, coming from poor families in Ohio. Glenn Close is excellently charming as the wife, James Woods very genial (against usual type) as the husband. Mary Stuart Masterson is outstanding as the young girl, Kevin Dillon fine as her boyfriend.

The film shows the two couples assessing each other, presenting their better sides - so all is fine and genial. There are some expected, perhaps, melodramatic moves. However, despite the neatness of the screenplay, the film has great warmth because of the characterisations and because of the issues, focusing on life, the joy of children, the wonders of birth.

1. Family themes, children, adoption?

2. Vancouver locations, contrast with Ohio? Atmosphere of affluence and wealth compared with the Ohio sequences? Highlighting the distinction between the two couples' backgrounds?

3. Musical score, the songs - especially the music of Van Morrison? The contrasts and styles?

4. The title and its repercussions for each of the characters? The young child?

5. The portrait of Linda and Michael: getting ready to go to the children's party, the gift and its rejection, Linda and all her friends with their children, feeling out of all the talk? The ball hitting her? Michael and his genial style? Their fertility plans, the effect for each of them with sperm, temperatures, relationship? Visits to the doctors? Linda well-known? The failure and the effect on Linda, wanting to call her friends on the phone, their busyness? The drinking, Michael sharing with her? The years married, the desire for the child, the hopes? Linda and her work as a real estate agent, the patter of the woman about the homes? The rooms for children? Michael and his work as a vet?

6. Going to the agency, the discussion with the lawyer, her explanations? Her personality and enthusiasm? The technique of the couples meeting? The list? Each composing the letter about themselves and their suitability as a parent? The phone call, Linda and the dog? The talk with Lucy, each giving an account of themselves, asking Lucy the list of questions on the page? Each talking about the phone call afterwards and wondering about impressions? The visit to the lawyer, the meeting with Lucy?

7. Lucy, her arrival, appearance, clothes, etc? Her impression on them? Their temptation to judge, audience judging? The stories? Looking at the house, the city? The perfect versus the imperfect?

8. The charm of the sequences as they get to know each other, the visit, the meals, dancing to Van Morrison's music? The photos in Michael's room, his knowing his history? Lucy and her envy of this? Her own photos? the discussions about the baby, preparation?

9. Discussions about Sam, his arrival, impact, appearance, clothes, earring, manner of speaking? Forthright? Giving points to the car? His grading Linda and Michael? His love for Lucy and care for her, talking with her? The shared decision about the baby? Talking about `our baby'? Sharing with Linda and Michael? His explanations, his job? Ambitions with music? His father and his violence? The taking of the car, Linda and Michael and their fantasy of it disappearing and the robberies? Their return? His leaving and the farewell at the bus station?

10. Linda and Michael and their serious approach to the birth, Linda with Lucy - as mother and daughter? The background of the families? Michael's mother?

11. The birth sequence, hurrying to the hospital, Michael and the questions at the desk? Their presence at the birth, cutting the cord? The aftermath, Linda holding the baby, the feeding of the baby? Michael looking at the baby? Lucy walking the corridor, looking at the child, the woman in the bed next to her? The name of the child? Her decision to keep? The sadness of the lawyer? The effect on Linda, Michael's intervention? Lucy saying that Linda was `sad'?

12. The visit to the agency, Linda and her loss of spirit, bitterness, the planning for travel?

13. Linda at home, crowded, the stepfather, his help, the kids playing up? Sam and his mother? His job, being fired? The visit of Lucy to Sam? Their looking at the future?

14. Their arrival in Seattle, giving the baby to Michael and Linda, changing the name back? Lucy going to look at the room? The importance of her letter, the voice-over and her letter to her child? Her asking forgiveness? Her explanation?

15. The passing of the year, the collage, the photo with the cake? The photo joke with the dog? Linda and Sam working, Sam waiting for Linda, her looking at the photo?

16. A pleasing film? Characters at their best? Perfect and imperfect? Distinction of wealth, opportunity, class? Basic humanity and love for children?