WHOSE DAUGHTER IS SHE?
Starring: Joanna Kerns, Gaby Hoffmann
Original Airdate: 1995
Type: Drama
Well, nothing like a good custody battle to make a TV Movie grand. In this 1995 Joanna Kerns flick, two mothers (one biological mother, one stepmom) fight for the love of 13-year-old Andrea (played by Gaby Hoffmann). Claws will come out, fists will fly, and it will be one messy situation! Ohhhh yeah.
Okay, it's a bit more subdued than that, but claws would make this more interesting, don't you think?
Whose Daughter Is She? begins by introducing us to Andrea at age 3. Her frazzled mom (Cathy) is getting yelled at by the husband, the baby's crying, and little Andrea doesn't know quite what to make of all of it. The next thing she knows, Mommy's walking out the back door. Never to reeeetuuuurnnnnn.
The end.
Or is it...?
Fastforward a few years. Andrea's dad got remarried, to a woman named Laura (Kerns). Then he went and died, leaving Laura to raise Andrea and her younger brother, Brad. Now Andrea's 13 and Brad's 10. They like their life. They like their stepmom, who -- to them -- IS Mom.
And then Cathy comes back.
Cathy freaks me out. She seriously does. I've tried numerous times to put myself in her shoes -- here's a woman who had kids too young, who was scared, who left, and who now just wants to make ammends. I can understand that. But does she have to be so freaky about it? She comes to town and then parks her car in front of the house where Laura and the kids live, and basically stalks them for a while before practically popping out of the bushes and going HEY GUYS I'M YOUR MOM! LOVE ME!
Brad wants nothing to do with Cathy; in fact, he hates her guts. But Andrea's curious. She remembers Cathy. She remembers the night Cathy walked out, and has lots of questions. Eventually, after learning that Cathy is truly sorry for running out on the kids, Andrea begins to like her biological mom. A lot.
Naturally, Laura's worried. She's afraid she's going to lose Andrea to Cathy. In the beginning, she tries to keep Cathy away from the kids. But Cathy's one persistent woman... crazy, even. And she refuses to back off. So Laura lets Andrea see Cathy, once. Then again.
Before long, Cathy has convinced Andrea to come to Chicago for her (Cathy's) wedding and even wants Andrea to move in with her! FOREVER!! Oh, and go on the honeymoon, too. (Um, WHAT?)
Ultimately, only Andrea can decide which mother she wants to live with... but which woman will she choose?
10/9/2005
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