Stepmom

Despite its unappealing title, this is an incredibly touching and sophisticated film about life after divorce that examines the tricky issue of bringing a new partner into the family set-up. As the girlfriend of divorcee Ed Harris, ambitious fashion photographer Julia Roberts is in unfamiliar territory and starts off on the wrong foot. Attempting to win over Harris's two children, she finds herself competing with their "perfect" mother, Susan Sarandon, and doing rather badly. However, when Sarandon falls seriously ill, the women must reappraise their priorities. Strong performances from actors who are not afraid to be unsympathetic and unpredictable narrative twists make this far from your average sentimental family drama. In what could have been a thankless role, Sarandon is the stand out as a woman who is dealing with the pain of being usurped as a wife and the fear of being usurped as a mother.