Consenting Adult

Sometimes We Think That TV does not deliver anything better than The Real Cinema Theater Plays but with this film The director showed a good story, well done , good acting and most of all very well structured with many topics that were ahead to that edge in the middle of the 1980's Decade! It was about Love, Forgiving, Redemption, and Accepting! I enjoyed this movie, specially for focusing in discuss if Homosexuality was an illness or just a natural expression of sexual orientation! Good for the Director!

this movie is atrue example of a boy how had to come to realize he is gay and does not know how to deal with it. as we all have gone through this back in those days it was difficult for the whole family. but this movie gives us an insite of one parent coming to deal with the boys situation and the other who cannot.i saw this movie on TV here in Australia quite a few years ago and i still admire it and the wat it dealt with this situation. i give it 5 stars because when it was shown people in general could not deal with the fact their son or daughter were gay. still thought it was a disease or mental problem. i know i went through this and just left home and moved to a place where i was not know and eventually my family came to deal with it and all is OK now thanks charles ps. i am 70 years old now

Well, I was dealing with these very same issues, at the time that I saw this television show, in 1985. I actually taped the show, well of course, as Marlo Thomas was one of my favorite actors. This story, dealt with the very topical subjects of coming out to your parents, friends and family during a very scary period of time, when AIDS was devastating our community. Though somewhat superficial, due to the subject matter, and the fact that this was a broadcast television show, it had special meaning to anyone dealing with all of the conflicting emotions related to coming to terms with your own homosexuality during a very conservative time. A time whose conservatism, unfortunately, is being mirrored in 2005, nearly 20 years later.

I believe this show should be made available for all to see as it treats the subject with some honesty and tenderness.

I've just transferred the show from my old and deteriorating video tape to DVD and hope it will last another 20 years. Gosh, I can't believe how far we've come in 20 years, and yet how far we have yet to go.

I will never forget first seeing this Made-for-TV movie when it aired in 1985. I was in High School, a closeted kid, who was dealing with my own homosexuality. This TV movie hit me like a ton of bricks, especially at a time in my life when I needed to see it the most and to be able to identify with the entire cast of characters.

Barry Tubb plays Jeff Lynd, the main character questioning his sexuality. Marlo Thomas plays Jeff Lynd's mother, who is the recipient of his first coming out by verbally being told that he is homosexual. Martin Sheen plays his father, who is devastated with the news of his sons news.

Based on the book by Laura Z. Hobson, this TV movie still holds up quite well today, especially since the subject of homosexuality in 1985 was basically non-existant, aside from the attachment of the AIDS epidemic.

It was never given a proper wide release on VHS or DVD like it should have. This is, by far, one of the best Made-for-TV movies made. You can occasionally find a rare VHS copy on eBay (released by King Bee Video). Your best bet to see this outstanding film is by watching it on YouTube, which was transferred & uploaded to the service. The last I checked, it was still online with 490k views since 2013.

Do yourself a favor and see this movie. I can't recommend it highly enough.

I saw this movie back in 1985 when it premiered on television. Marlo Thomas plays Tess Lynd a mother whose son announces that he is gay. Tess' husband is not accepting of the son and a battle ensues. Tess is torn between the love of her son and her husband. Marlo Thomas gives a great performance!! I was a bit shocked though, parts of this film are pretty risque for the time and television! I can remember vividly how the viewer almost was part of the sexual activity the son was having, but it was done tastefully. I recommend this film!