Beau Bridges Movie:

Editorial Review:
Two Great Family Drama - One Great Price

A Son's Promise
A Son's Promise is the touching, true story of an iron-willed Georgia boy who accepts the burden of a man on his young shoulders. Fifteen-year-old Terry O'Kelly (Rick Schroder) is fatherless, and his remaining parent, his mother, is dying. Anguished, the soon-to-be orphan makes a surprisingly grown-up decision: Terry promises to care for his six brothers and vows to keep the family together--no matter what. Steadfast to his word, Terry takes on the struggles of parenthood, which yields some difficult and unpleasant surprises. But when the family suffers a series of grim misfortunes, including: starvation, deprivation, and natural disaster, Terry's will is tested to the limits until he reaches his breaking point. Tempted to just walk away from it all, will Terry break his vow, or will he continue to fight against all odds and keep his family together as promised?

Hidden in America
Hard-working Bill Januson (Beau Bridges) is downsized out of his job on the assembly line. His wife's lengthy illness drains his resources, and when he loses her, he loses everything. He refuses to accept government aid or other assistance, and gets a job at a fast-food restaurant, bringing home leftovers to feed his children, Willa, 9, and Robbie, 11.

Prestigious surgeon Dr. Michael Millerton (Bruce Davison) meets Willa when she visits his daughter, who is the same age. Willa, poorly dressed and very hungry, sneaks food from the kitchen. Michael loses a bet with his colleague, Dr. Vincent (Jeff Bridges), and takes his place donating service at the community clinic where Bill brings Willa with a bad cough and persistent headaches. The diagnosis, that the child is anemic and her immune system is weakened by poor nutrition, angers the struggling father.

Through tragedy, Bill and Michael, whose lives are poles apart, recognize their commonality as members of the human family--an understanding that could offer some sense of hope.