Product Details

• Actors: Molly Ringwald, River Phoenix, Ellen Burstyn, Paul Sorvino, Marsha Mason
• Directors: Waris Hussein
• Producers: Hunt Lowry
• Language: English
• Studio: Sunburst Enterprises
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000QVDB2W
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,110 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Marsha Mason and Ellen Burstyn join together in one of the most compelling performances of their lives as mothers of two troubled teens who secretly make a suicide pact. For Lonnie (Ringwald) and Rick (Phoenix) it's summer, they're rich and beautiful, with plenty of time (and Passion) on their hands. Only it all starts to unravel as they see the reality of the dysfunction in their families. Dad's Cheating and too much parental control start to take their toll, and Tragedy is just around the corner when the two powerful families decide to break up the kid's bittersweet romance. This movie will make you cry. It will make you laugh, but most of all it will make you feel! Released in 1985 with an all-star cast featuring Molly Ringwald a year after Sixteen Candles and the same year Breakfast Club was released as well as a 15 year old River Phoenix in only his film third role.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, needs to be issued on DVD, February 13, 2010

By 

J. Cormier (Crowley, LA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: TRAGEDY aka "Surviving" aka "Surviving: A Family in Crisis" (VHS Tape)

For some reason, the video issuers retitled this movie. It was called "Surviving" when it aired on ABC-TV. And the description is wrong--the teen male is played by Zach Galligan , not River Phoenix (he plays Molly Ringwald's younger brother and he was NOT 15 years old).
I don't know why this isn't on DVD, especially with its top notch cast! Ellen Burstyn, Marsha Mason, Paul Sorvino--they all shine!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie, May 30, 2011

By 

Vince - See all my reviews

This review is from: TRAGEDY aka "Surviving" aka "Surviving: A Family in Crisis" (VHS Tape)

The impact of watching this many years ago was so powerful, I believe anyone would think twice about suicide with this movie in mind.
Awesome Cast, Outstanding performance.
Hard hitting and life saving for some.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surviving. A Teen Tragedy, November 9, 2007

By 

The Country Wife "Little C" (Southampton MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: TRAGEDY aka "Surviving" aka "Surviving: A Family in Crisis" (VHS Tape)

I was a teenager when this made for TV movie first came out, and I recall the tremendous impact that this particular movie made when it debuted. Based on the lives of two troubled teens who make a suicide pact and eventually follow through, the best thing about this movie is that unlike many "teen" movies, it doesn't just focus on the usual teenage angst. It treats the topic of teen suicide with compassion not only for its troubled protagonists (Molly Ringwald and River Phoenix) but also on the surviving family members as they struggle to come to terms with the unspeakable tragic act that binds their families together.
It portrays teen suicide not as a viable "way out" of emotional crises, but as a true tragedy for those left behind with nothing but questions, questions and more questions. The guilt and anger left in the aftermath as experienced by two separate families is both heart rending and true to life. Above all, this movie does not "romanticise" teen suicide, or suicide as an end to suffering, but portrays the emotional wreckage left in the aftermath of such an act. Recommended viewing for families of troubled teens as well as teens themselves. A 5 star portrayal of a sensitive, but still timely subject.