Family Album (TV Mini Series 1994) Poster

(1994)

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campy fun
buffica13 October 2006
OK, first, it's Danielle Steele, so take that into consideration. Characterization is one-note, the acting isn't all that awesome, and honestly, if you're checking it out here twelve years after the fact, it's probably because you're a fan of Joe Flanigan's work on Stargate: Atlantis and you want to see what else he's done.

Having said all that - I kind of love this. Flanigan is very sweet as the token gay brother, all shy glances and lowered eyelashes. Jaclyn Smith is no better than you expect, and as the above reviewer said, the clothes are just wrong. BUT, if you're in the mood to sit down with some girlfriends for a pizza-and-movie night (beer optional), and watch a movie that will make you laugh and unexpectedly get a tiny bit emotional, this is the one. My friends and I have watched it several times, and the love just grows.
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8/10
Well worth seeing!
JohnBlund20012 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The family happiness is crumbling when, the from the beginning rich father Ward (Michael Ontkean), gets poor and cannot support the family any longer. Then the mother Faye (Jaclyn Smith) has to take the role as the breadwinner in the family and starts to work in order to support the family and at the same time, periodically alone, has to manage the family life. Not always that good, but as good as she can. The family life hardly gets easier when the father learns that the son Lionel (Joe Flanigan "Stargate Atlantis") is gay and is living together with his lover John (Joel Gretsch "The 4400") also an old family friend, resulting in that the father makes clear to Lionel that he is no longer welcome in the family. Lionel is the one who meant the most to his sister Anne (Leslie Horan) during her up-bringing, since the family neglected her. Anne cannot stand the fact that their father have cut the cords with Lionel and therefore she run away from home. As this wasn't enough, the son Greg (Brian Krause "Charmed") enlists in the marines and is sent to war. The storyline in this film can on some occasions feel a bit thin, in spite of that it still has a lot of realism in it, which makes it well worth seeing. Since this film illustrates many sensitive relations and situations, I would believe that it is best appreciated by a mature audience even though it wouldn't hurt for teenagers to see it and get something to think about before adulthood.
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10/10
The tale of a family's ups and downs through tragedy and break-ups
kevinisha11112 September 2006
I loved this movie it was a great portrayal of a family who had it's share of ups and down, but in the end they knew that special love they had for each other. I have seen many movies starring Jaclyn Smith, but my god this was one of her best, though it came out 12 years ago. This movie contained an all-star cast, and what I loved the most was that it opened my eyes to see other actors who I haven't seen before. This movie was kind of long in length, but I enjoyed every minute of it. It is a movie that you can sit down with your family and watch, though we would have to cover the kids eyes a few times due to the discretionary love scenes. Overall I rate this movie a 10 out of a 1-10 scale. Lifetime does not air it enough, so if anyone knows what store sells it let me know because this is a must-have.
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Good!
Monika-510 October 2000
A good TV movie based on the book by Danielle Steel. Leads Jaclyn Smith and Michael Ontkean lack charisma, but there are plenty of fine supporting performances, namely by Joe Flanigan and Leslie Horan. It's interesting to note three soap stars in the cast: Horan (who would join the cast of General Hospital), Brian Krause (who would join the cast of Another World) and Paul Satterfield (formerly of GH and Bold and the Beautiful). One of DS's better TV movies.
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10/10
What a mother and wife has to endure
phd_travel16 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This mini series was moving and quite meaningful story about a wife and mother and everything she has to go through - and boy does she have to endure it all. From financial crisis to infidelity then comes the kids. A loss in Nam, a gay son not accepted at first by the father, a daughter who runs away and gets knocked up and then falls for an older man, and an actress with issues. Mostly quite ungrateful bunch. But that's a mother's lot. Not a trashy soap at all.

Jaclyn Smith looks beautiful and acts well if there is any fault it's that they don't age her and Michael Ontkean till the last part. But aside from that it's very well done.
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Great Movie!
crusin_chick200022 October 2003
I have seen this movie and read the book. I think it's a lot more than 'mediocre trash'. It's an extremely good movie. Yeah, some things were predictable but it's still worth watching. I would very much recommend this movie. And i recommend the book.
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totally unbelievable
Nick-33722 November 2001
I've watched this mini-series a couple of times on lifetime. This has to be one of the most unbelievable storylines ever. The standard soap opera cliches are used - glamour, sex, adultery, teen pregnancy, and tragic deaths. The popular athletic son going off to die in Vietnam was so obvious you could see it coming a mile away. The other son is the token sensitive gay character struggling to come out *yawn*. The scene where the gay son discovers that his masculine blond roommate is gay was laughable. These two guys look like Ken dolls come to life. All of the actors appear to be from central casting for "pretty people". Maybe if more average looking actors had been cast it would have been more convincing, but I doubt it. Most of the actors can't act anyway. Jaclyn Smith is more wooden here than ever before. There are other problems with wardrobe and hair. It looks like 1994 when it's supposed to be 1968. I could go on and on. I wouldn't recommend this movie unless you have about four hours to kill watching some mediocre trash.
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