Our Sons (Too Little, Too Late) (1991)

(from The Watermark 10/02/96)
This film's big claim to fame is that it's Julie Andrews' first made-for-TV movie. She plays a successful California career woman whose son, played by Hugh Grant, tells her that his lover (Zeljko Ivanek) is dying of AIDS. Grant asks Andrews if she could personally contact Ivanek's mother (Ann-Margret) in Arkansas and bring her back to see her son one last time. But Margret, who disowned her son when he came out to her, doesn't want to see him. When she does finally agree, Margret and Andrews find that they are two women of completely different backgrounds and lifestyles, yet they are bound together by the homosexuality of their children. When Margret and Ivanek finally reconcile, Andrews and Grant realize that they, too, need to confront a few issues that are marring their own relationship.
The film is directed with great sensitivity by John Erman who managed to turn out a full-bodied dramatic work without a gigantic budget. It doesn't focus on the issues of AIDS as much as it focuses on the interaction of the characters. Looking like Eileen Brennan in a Dolly Parton wig, Margret is very moving as an uneducated yet outspoken white-trashy waitress. Andrews gives the best performance in the film, casting aside her usual sugary sweetness to portray a composed and sometimes icy business woman. Grant is a real surprise: he does a flawless American accent. His performance is understated, and perfectly believable as a man coping with his lover's impending death.
The videocassette version makes the small mistake of editing out the "fade to black" shots originally intended for the insertion of commercials. Some of the cutaways and transitions seem premature and clumsy as a result. As the dying lover, Ivanek gets very little screen time compared to the stars, and the film could have delved deeper into his character and how the disease had affected his life. Small shortcomings aside, grab a hankie, and enjoy an oddity for the 1990's: a well-made TV movie.