Silence of the Heart

Silence of the Heart is a 1984 television family drama film written by Phil Penningroth and directed by Richard Michaels for CBS Television. The film stars Charlie Sheen, Chad Lowe, Mariette Hartley, Dana Hill, Howard Hesseman and Silvana Gallardo.

Skip Lewis Chad Lowe is a 17yearold boy who has been having academic problems also, a girl named Andrea, whom he has been pursuing has told him that she has no interest in him. He tries to talk to his parents Mariette Hartley amp Howard Hesseman about this but cant bring himself to, thinking that they wont understand. He commits suicide by driving his car over a cliff onto rocks. Now, his parents are in denial saying that his death was an accident. However, his best friend, Ken Cruze Charlie Sheen who was the last person he saw before his death, was told by Skip that he was considering killing himself and is feeling guilty that he didnt try to stop him. Skips sister Cindy Dana Hill tries to bring her family out of denial so they can heal.The New York Times wrote that In any television project of this sort, the dramatization elements tend to be shaped by requirements usually associated with a howto manual. This is the problem, we are told, and this is the way to cope with it. They noted that with San Mateo Countys director of the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Center acting as technical adviser, the films dramatic clout gets lost in the authenticity shuffle. They praised the cast, writing that the performances lift the production far above runofthemill exercises, with special note made of the powerfully wrenching performances of Mariette Hartley and Howard Hesseman as the griefstricken parents, and that both actors add important new dimensions to their careers. They concluded that Overall, Silence of the Heart manages to make all of its cautionary points while, in the process, being genuinely affecting. It represents one special form of the television movie at its best. ........

Source: Wikipedia