Divorce Wars: A Love Story

Tom Selleck as a celebrated divorce attorney (and guest speaker at law school) in Seattle who finds himself on the brink of divorce from unfulfilled wife Jane Curtin. Intentionally over-the-top subplot with an alternate divorcing couple (a buffoonish husband and his vengeful wife)--also Curtin's chattering, bitter-feminist girlfriends--is meant to lighten the load from the battling co-stars, but very little in director and co-writer Donald Wrye's teleplay rings true. ABC-TV drama looks terrific as photographed by Tak Fujimoto, and it has a solid supporting cast including Mimi Rogers (in her debut as a seductive law student who comes to class with her blouse unbuttoned) and Joan Bennett (in her final acting role as Curtin's new stepmother). As for Selleck, keeping his face tense and his brow furrowed, he's not well-directed (and he keeps fiddling with his neckties), but he's not embarrassing. Selleck's light voice (perfect for comedies) and Curtin's high-pitched rattle don't mesh, and when they argue one is mostly aware of the 'literate' dialogue, thick with writer's ink. ** from ****