Doghouse

Steiner Street Dear...

The Hillard Residence.



In Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin Williams is offered only to see his kids for a few hours with a court appointed supervisor. His outrage is palpable. The reason he cannot see his kids is his Ex (played supurbly by Sally Fields) decides it doesn't work with her schedule.

This is the plight for many fathers and because so many dads are deserters the courts swing wildly that way.

Well I don't look good in drag and I already cleaned L's house way too many times.

When we went to the "Mediator", who had already made her mind up my Ex requested that a supervisor be present then named my parents.

My parents live 4 hours away in Monterey. They also have a life of their own. They are currently in New Zealand for a month or so. And, to make matters worse, we had really just worked out a pretty good relationship, finally, after 40 some-odd years.

L is very smart. Too smart for my own good. This was her chance for near full control, and in fact she now has that because my folks are not going to come here, nor should they every few weeks.

So once again, it is not about the kids or their ultimate welfare. It's a classic Mrs. Doubtfire.

And appropriately L's new job (at a Church) is a block from where the film was made on Steiner.

The depictions of Daniel and Miranda are hyperbolic yet pretty dead on. Daniel is a creative soul with a conscience and is often financially challenged. He's a free spirit and a lover. I am very much this way. Such a person creates names and characters for his kids and is silly enough to turn an entire old mansion into a giant miniature golf course.

It's just how we think. And it is good an holy and right even though it is hated by control freaks.

Miranda is a control freak. She is an architect by trade and successful. She shows no remorse over her split with Daniel and her schedule rules even visitation ("we are his goddamn kids too" says the little one).

Miranda is not a bad person. She is just so focused on her own life that no one else really matters. She has no idea how ingrained the lives of her kids are with Daniels. She just wants him gone and out of the picture so she can have fun with Stu (Pierce Brosnan) and have her life her way. As understandable as that is, it is still wrong and not in the best interests of the kids.

The movie is really about the love that drives a father. So many people have abandonment issues well into their adult lives and what I am fearful of is that Camille will have those, and worse, it will have been imposed by her mother.

What a horrible place to situate your own child.

posted by Obi-Mac BakDon @ 7:18 AM