A Month of Sundays (2001)

In his final starring role, Academy Award-winner Rod Steiger (Marty, From Here to Eternity) gives a moving performance as Charley McCabe, a small town baseball announcer who rebels against being placed in a retirement home following a mild stroke. To fulfill the promise he made to his late wife, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey to find his estranged son. His beloved granddaughter Biddy insists on accompanying him on the journey of a lifetime, as family secrets are revealed, and old wounds healed. Oscar-nominee Sally Kirkland (Anna), Dee Wallace Stone (E.T.), Sally Struthers (All in the Family), and Michael Pare (Eddie and the Cruisers) are featured in this award-winning family drama.

couldn't they have written a better script ???

A Month Of Sundays is the last film starring the remarkably talented Rod Steiger; and we also get a pretty good performance from his granddaughter played by Biddy McCabe. Unfortunately, the rest of the actors in this film are done a real disservice; they could only do what little they could within the confines of a poorly written script. For example, Sally Struthers is underused; she gets only the small role of a lady living in the country helping Charley find Tomas. What a shame!

The action begins when Charley McCabe (Rod Steiger), the patriarch of the McCabe family, suffers a mild stroke while he's working as an announcer at a baseball park. At the hospital, they want him to stay; but Charley's not interested in that--he wants his freedom. When he walks out of the hospital, we see Rod Steiger doing a great job of acting. Once Charley is back at his home, the McCabe family wants him to return to the hospital but Charley won't go--he's off on a mission to find his missing son Tomas (Michael Paré). Charley eventually sneaks off into the night on his search even though he doesn't like being stuck with his granddaughter Biddie (Corina Marie) and his even younger grandson tagging along for the journey.

After meeting a few people where Tomas went to school and talking with a few people as they travel across the country, Charley and his grandchildren slowly but surely get clues about where Tomas may well be living. We also get scattered flashbacks about Tomas leaving the family all those years ago--and we find out why.

Does Charley find his son Tomas? What family secrets could have driven Tomas away in the first place? Will Tomas return with Charley and the grandkids to live with the rest of the family? No spoilers here, folks--please just watch the movie to find out!

The plot and the script leave a lot to be desired; and I found that to enjoy this movie you have to suspend belief--a lot, and quite frequently, too. This bothers me. What's more, they all use their own cell phones--except when they REALLY could have used their cell phones after a car crash, for example. That's tough to believe. In addition, what information they found on Tomas could easily have been found on the Internet or by simply telephoning the people who knew Tomas instead of traveling great distances with only the hope that they might gather a few shreds of information. Ay!

There is great cinematography, however, in the scenes where they look for Tomas in the countryside. The vistas are marvelous.

Overall, this movie is great for fans of Rod Steiger; and if you like very light drama this will help you pass some time. Unfortunately, unless you're a fan of Rod Steiger, this can only help you pass the time. That's a real disappointment; and I will take off two and one-half stars for this. The poorly written script doesn't allow the actors to truly shine and the plot is scarcely believable in many places. Humph!

Two and one-half stars.
October 2, 2007

Family film nosedives

Rod Steiger's performance here is sweet, realistic, and endearing as his relationship with his granddaughter Biddy and grandson. What is disappointing is the "family secret" that spoils what would be wholesome family entertainment..it's not really a very well developed story line nor is it entirely plausible when it unfolds. There really is no explanation for what happened..don't want to give away plot..just a caution that younger viewers may not understand and even teens may come away with confused morals because even though the "family secret" involves immorality the film doesn't really treat it that way..the film concludes that all is well in the end as long as family endures. Sally Struthers gives a short but memorable performance..Dee Wallace Stone is not used to her full acting potential.
September 16, 2007

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