Replacing Dad
Encyclopedia
Replacing Dad is a 1999
television film directed by Joyce Chopra
. Based on a Shelley Fraser Mickle novel, the film stars Mary McDonnell
, William Russ
, and Jack Coleman.
) is a housewife who seems to have a perfect life: along with her husband, high school principal George (William Russ
) and three loving children Drew (Erik von Detten
), Mandy (Camilla Belle
) and Willie (Hayden Tank), she is living in a suburban house in a small and peaceful town. One day, she decides to surprise her husband at his office to celebrate their 16th anniversary, and finds him kissing with one of the teachers, Ann Marie Scott (Michele Abrams). Immediately, her life falls apart, and she lands in a roller coaster of emotions.
Her husband initially tries to save their marriage, but Linda kicks him out of the house. They later fight over the raising of the children. To forget her depression, Linda starts going out in bars, for which George condemns her. He blames her of bad parenting, while she continues to blame the adultery for everything that is going wrong in the family. Mandy refuses to speak to her father, and Drew is especially mad at George, because he has always felt unwanted by him. Willie, on the other hand, misses his father enormously and starts acting out by constantly wearing a bunny suit.
One day, Linda allows Drew to drive her car, and he accidentally causes a minor car accident with Dr. Mark Chandler (Jack Coleman). Sometime later, she meets him again at his office, where her son Drew has an appointment. Chandler discovers that he is suffering from dyslexia
, which hurts Drew's self-confidence, as he was already struggling with his relationship with George. Mark becomes close to the family, and Linda's mother Dixie (Tippi Hedren
) - who came to town to support her daughter - convinces her daughter to start dating him.
Meanwhile, George finds out that his new life with Ann Marie is not all that satisfying as expected, and he meets with Linda to convince her to try and save their marriage. Linda almost falls for him again, until he makes a nasty remark. She makes a scene and tells him that she can't believe that she was ever in love with him. Soon after, Ann Marie, annoyed by George's pessimistic behavior, breaks off their relationship. George lands into a severe depression, and one day calls Linda and his children announcing his suicide. Linda and the children rush to the motel where he is staying, and convince him not to shoot himself.
1999 in film
The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...
television film directed by Joyce Chopra
Joyce Chopra
Joyce Chopra , is an American director and writer of feature films and television.- Partial director filmography :*A Happy Mother's Day co-directed with Richard Leacock*Joyce at 34...
. Based on a Shelley Fraser Mickle novel, the film stars Mary McDonnell
Mary McDonnell
Mary Eileen McDonnell is an American film, stage, and television actress. She received an Academy Award nomination for her role as Stands With A Fist in Dances with Wolves, and she is also very well known for her performance as President Laura Roslin in Battlestar Galactica, the President's wife...
, William Russ
William Russ
William Russ is an American actor, best known for his role as Alan Matthews on Boy Meets World.-Early life:Russ was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is the son of a naval officer...
, and Jack Coleman.
Plot
Linda Marsh (Mary McDonnellMary McDonnell
Mary Eileen McDonnell is an American film, stage, and television actress. She received an Academy Award nomination for her role as Stands With A Fist in Dances with Wolves, and she is also very well known for her performance as President Laura Roslin in Battlestar Galactica, the President's wife...
) is a housewife who seems to have a perfect life: along with her husband, high school principal George (William Russ
William Russ
William Russ is an American actor, best known for his role as Alan Matthews on Boy Meets World.-Early life:Russ was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is the son of a naval officer...
) and three loving children Drew (Erik von Detten
Erik von Detten
Erik Thomas von Detten is an American actor. He is known for his roles in Escape to Witch Mountain, Toy Story, Brink!, The Princess Diaries, and So Weird.-Personal life:Von Detten was born in San Diego, California...
), Mandy (Camilla Belle
Camilla Belle
Camilla Belle is an American actress. Her works include The Lost World: Jurassic Park, When a Stranger Calls, 10,000 BC, The Quiet, Push and Speedy Singhs.- Early life :...
) and Willie (Hayden Tank), she is living in a suburban house in a small and peaceful town. One day, she decides to surprise her husband at his office to celebrate their 16th anniversary, and finds him kissing with one of the teachers, Ann Marie Scott (Michele Abrams). Immediately, her life falls apart, and she lands in a roller coaster of emotions.
Her husband initially tries to save their marriage, but Linda kicks him out of the house. They later fight over the raising of the children. To forget her depression, Linda starts going out in bars, for which George condemns her. He blames her of bad parenting, while she continues to blame the adultery for everything that is going wrong in the family. Mandy refuses to speak to her father, and Drew is especially mad at George, because he has always felt unwanted by him. Willie, on the other hand, misses his father enormously and starts acting out by constantly wearing a bunny suit.
One day, Linda allows Drew to drive her car, and he accidentally causes a minor car accident with Dr. Mark Chandler (Jack Coleman). Sometime later, she meets him again at his office, where her son Drew has an appointment. Chandler discovers that he is suffering from dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
, which hurts Drew's self-confidence, as he was already struggling with his relationship with George. Mark becomes close to the family, and Linda's mother Dixie (Tippi Hedren
Tippi Hedren
Nathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren is an American actress and former fashion model with a career spanning six decades. She is primarily known for her roles in two Alfred Hitchcock films, The Birds and Marnie, and her extensive efforts in animal rescue at Shambala Preserve, an wildlife habitat which she...
) - who came to town to support her daughter - convinces her daughter to start dating him.
Meanwhile, George finds out that his new life with Ann Marie is not all that satisfying as expected, and he meets with Linda to convince her to try and save their marriage. Linda almost falls for him again, until he makes a nasty remark. She makes a scene and tells him that she can't believe that she was ever in love with him. Soon after, Ann Marie, annoyed by George's pessimistic behavior, breaks off their relationship. George lands into a severe depression, and one day calls Linda and his children announcing his suicide. Linda and the children rush to the motel where he is staying, and convince him not to shoot himself.
Cast
- Mary McDonnellMary McDonnellMary Eileen McDonnell is an American film, stage, and television actress. She received an Academy Award nomination for her role as Stands With A Fist in Dances with Wolves, and she is also very well known for her performance as President Laura Roslin in Battlestar Galactica, the President's wife...
as Linda Marsh - William RussWilliam RussWilliam Russ is an American actor, best known for his role as Alan Matthews on Boy Meets World.-Early life:Russ was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is the son of a naval officer...
as George Marsh - Jack Coleman as Dr. Mark Chandler
- Erik von DettenErik von DettenErik Thomas von Detten is an American actor. He is known for his roles in Escape to Witch Mountain, Toy Story, Brink!, The Princess Diaries, and So Weird.-Personal life:Von Detten was born in San Diego, California...
as Drew Marsh - Camilla BelleCamilla BelleCamilla Belle is an American actress. Her works include The Lost World: Jurassic Park, When a Stranger Calls, 10,000 BC, The Quiet, Push and Speedy Singhs.- Early life :...
as Mandy Marsh - Tippi HedrenTippi HedrenNathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren is an American actress and former fashion model with a career spanning six decades. She is primarily known for her roles in two Alfred Hitchcock films, The Birds and Marnie, and her extensive efforts in animal rescue at Shambala Preserve, an wildlife habitat which she...
as Dixie - Michele Abrams as Ann Marie Scott
- Hayden Tank as Willie Marsh
- Shailene WoodleyShailene WoodleyShailene Diann Woodley is an American actress. Woodley is known for portraying Amy Juergens in the ABC Family series, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and for co-starring with George Clooney in the 2011 drama film The Descendants.-Early life:Woodley was born in Simi Valley, California...
as Little Girl