David’s Mother 1994

Sally Goodson Kirstie Alley has always tried to do what is best for her autistic son, David Michael A. Goorjian, and she often blames herself for the way his condition shapes their daily life. They share a cramped New York City apartment, where Sally’s world revolves around David’s routines, needs, and progress, while the outside world sometimes feels like a distant, noisy place.

Her sister Bea Stockard Channing stops by to help Sally loosen the grip of overprotection and give David some space, but Sally remains extraordinarily protective, never quite letting him out of her sight.

In the background, family fractures surface: Sally’s husband Philip Chris Sarandon has an affair, leaves the family, and remarries; their daughter Susan Renessa Blitz chooses to live with him, a decision that underscores how Sally’s devotion to David has strained other relationships and left the rest of the family feeling neglected.

When social services step in, Gladys Johnson Phylicia Rashād visits and explains that David might need to go into a care home. Sally refuses to consider removing him from her care, recalling the painful experiences of his previous facilities. Gladys grants a grace period, allowing one final time with David to be spent together.

Bea then helps Sally by encouraging a social life; she sets Sally up on a date with John Nils Sam Waterston, a wallpaper salesman who shows a gentle patience. John even helps David master a VCR, a small victory Sally had hoped would show that David could still learn and adapt.

Yet the prospect of moving forces new strain: Sally’s plans to relocate are not shared with John, leading to a frictionful argument about whether moving is the right thing and whether David can continue to be cared for at home.

Ultimately, Sally is compelled to accept the reality that David will be permanently taken in by the care home, ending the dream of a life where she and David could share a more independent future. The ending leaves Sally with the weight of her choice, the cost of her unwavering devotion, and a family that must come to terms with new limits.