Love Lives On

Mary Stuart Masterson is a mess. She's on drugs and her parents are upset, not only because she's still in high school, but also because she seems to have inherited her addictive personality from her father, who used to be an alcoholic. Christine Lahti and Sam Waterston send Mary to rehab, but when she gets out, she doesn't feel well. It turns out she has a rare form of cancer, and even though Mary doesn't want any outside substances in her body, she decides to take chemotherapy. But that's just the beginning of this illness-of-the-week television movie. . .

Anyone whose guilty pleasure is watching 1980s TV-movies on Saturday afternoons has to rent Love Lives On. It has everything: addiction, heartache, teenage pregnancy, illness, and the perfect amount of cheese. Of all these types of movies—and yes, there've been tons—this is a classic representation of the era. Mary Stuart Masterson gives a surprisingly good performance, and April Smith has written some very touching scenes between her and her parents. Buy another box of Kleenex, pop a fresh batch of corn, and cuddle up with your mom. You'll both be blubbering like babies by the time the credits roll, but you'll probably recommend it to your friends afterwards!