This is one of my favorite movies. As a 40 year male with no children I don't think I'll ever be able to get closer to understanding the feeling a mother has about her children than when I watched this moovie. Great ensemble cast. You'll defiantly laugh and cry in this movie. Sarandon and Shepard were great. I don't know the name of any of the children but it included the guy from swing kids and the guy from Mall Rats. The kid that figured out teh alergy situation has been around to and they all do a good job. Lots of realism in Surandans neurosis. There is a great piece of acting by the actress who played the wife of the "swing kids guy" in the kitchen scene with Sarandon. I call it the tequila and meatloaf sceen. That's the best scene in the movie mostly due to some dynamite dialogue. Other great scenes include the scene at the creek, the post dog attack, the fire in the driveway scene, the reporter confrentation, and the morning bunk bed sceen when the young kid says today's the day we'll find out.