Stepmom (DVD)

I have wanted to add this movie to my collection for a long time. I have been a fan of Julia and Susan for years. This movie depicts what many people face as the new woman in a man's life with children. No matter what age the kids are, many of us "stepmoms" face the same situation as in this movie. Mom behaves the way most would expect towards her ex's new gal; taking every shot to knock her down, even though she needs her help. Poor Julia can't catch a break no matter how hard she tries. There is courage as 'Mom' undergoes cancer therapy, and finally a pulling together of the entire "extended" family. Be prepared to shed a few tears, and watch how a serious illness turns life inside out. The fact that the movie deals with cancer and hints at death is why I gave it a 4 star - young children may find this aspect of the movie upsetting.

For those of us that are step-parents, we can relate well to this movie. Ed Harris, Julia Roberts, and Susan Sarandon all give fine performances. The movie shows the perils of being a step-parent when both biological parents live in close proximity to each other and are actively involved in the lives of their children (which is as it should be). The one down side to the movies is the open use of medicinal marijuana by one of the characters. This makes the movie not suitable for young children. Overall, I give this a good review.