User reviews

This film veers too much between something ambitious and serious and a stereotypical family drama. There's very decent acting, and even an early appearance of Matt Damon, but the movie pulls all of the punches, in addition to doing little to differentiate the drama and the dynamic from the drama of other families. Still-- it's attempt at a documentary take on the lives of ordinary people adds to the movie, and it may be worth watching for fan of Matt Damon.

The movie follows a single family-- as the factory foreman father faces the strain of his job old frustrations flare up inside of his family. Was the pressure that he put on his children to lead more successful lives out of love, or was it, as the son accuses newer the end- a sham.

This film was inspiring, well acted, and one of the best written screenplays I have ever, ever had the pleasure to take in. Not for those into just action, or humor, or violence. If you are into brave honest portrayals of people struggling to be people, do yourself a favor and find this film. This is the first film I have ever posted to this site about.

This wonderful 1990 film, was Matt Damon's first acting appearance (He was 19. Do the math.) . As a film it's a little known and unappreciated GEM! Acting performances by the three main characters, were excellent. There's also a great supporting cast in nuanced subplots. It has an excellent script, plus the editing and cinematography are marvelous. ( Great shots of foggy lake at night at the film's end!) . Scenes end when they should, without too much belaboring or needless drama. The film's packs a punch in it's power to create heart-rending emotion. Tears comes up at some scenes that make us feel and rethink basic human relations, like father-son, husband-wife, young love, work relationships. No melodrama, not overdone. It's a poignant and honest presentation. Gus Robinson (Brian Dennehy) is an overpowering husband and dad who has worked all his life at a thankless factory job. After going up the ranks up to foreman, his company is bought by Japanese magnates, and he finds himself laid off in his 60's. Driven by insecurities and frustrated ambitions, Gus has bullied his wife and coerced his two boys into being all he couldn't achieve. At a turning point, the deeply discontent older son, a lawyer who hates his life and the fake success symbol he's become by trying to please dad, urges his brother Charlie (Matt Damon) to break free, make his own life before Dad destroys him. Charlie has his own acute identity crisis. He has secretly dropped his pre-med studies. He has love-life conflicts, feels desperate about his parent's situation , bad about the way Gus treats his submissive mom Martha (Piper Laurie) . When Gus loses his job, can't last in any other, his sense of failure and unfulfillment come to a boil. He rages internally. Gus is humiliated when Martha takes on a needed job,. He feels threatened by her new found lack of dependence. Everything peaks when Charlie dares to confront Dad with all the hard truths he's ignored. What ensues is an explosive, surprising, very upsetting climax. In crisis of rage and confrontation, how do father and son react? If you show your failed self, warts and all, will you be loved or rejected? This film reminded me somewhat of "Death of a Salesman" (Arthur Miller 's play), in which Brian Dennehy won 2 Tonys and other awards, for his masterly performance as Willy Loman, another overbearing father in conflict with his two sons and submissive wife. This film, though, is way more hopeful about human beings. I strongly recommend it.

I think I originally picked up my VHS copy of "Rising Son" over two years ago. It took until now for me to get around to watching it. I'm not sure why that is, but the low rating here on IMDb (5.8 at the time of this review) might have had something to do with it. Now that I've seen the film for myself, I can't begin to explain the reasons for this underrating.

The main motive one might have to seek out this film is the stellar lead performance by Matt Damon (it was his first). For such an inexperienced actor, he displays remarkable talent. Unlike some actors in their early roles, there's no sense of inability or lack of focus. Brian Dennehy, the other lead performer, offers the best performance I've yet seen of him. Dennehy, who's often been hired to play gruff, violent types, gets the chance to display somewhat of a deeper humanity here. The expectation, denial, and ultimate self-hatred of his character is painfully deep and believable. It's quite a journey.

Other well-known actors offer quite wonderful performances. This includes Piper Laurie, Ving Rhames, Richard Jenkins, and a young Jane Adams. John David Coles displays an excellent understanding of his actors, giving them the chance to really give life to their characters. This is an ability he displayed equally well the previous year, with "Signs of Life". Unfortunately, he went on to work almost exclusively in episodic television. I really like what Sandi Sissel does with the cinematography. She takes her extensive experience with documentary film-making, and applies it to drama. The result is a film that looks far more real than most.

I've seen more films than I can count about bad choices and job dissatisfaction, but never one with as much depth and humanity at this. I wish that everyone who feels trapped with their careers, their families, their own selves, would see "Rising Son". It's that true, that real, that complete, that painful of a film.

This is a good solid film, the script, the situation, the relationships between mother and son, father and son, father and his future, all that he was and is now...I loved it

It's on YouTube and I suggest you find it and enjoy it

Don't read too much about the film - just watch it - acting, directing - wow this is when made for television movies were far better than now and before they qualified for higher awards rather than just the standard tv awards.

Enjoy.