Rising Son

A 1990 American made-for-television drama directed by John David Coles, focusing on Gus Robinson (Brian Dennehy), a dedicated worker with 36 years of experience at a Detroit auto plant. His world collapses when the factory is acquired by a Japanese corporation, leading to his sudden unemployment in his sixties and an inability to secure new work. Gus, burdened by deep-seated insecurities and unfulfilled aspirations, exerts a domineering influence over his family, particularly his two sons, pushing them to achieve the success he never attained. Des (Tate Donovan), the elder son, has built a successful law career, yet he reads his own achievements as hollow bids for his father's approval; he tells Charlie (Matt Damon), the younger brother, to get out from under Gus and choose a path of his own. Charlie, having dropped out of pre-med studies, grapples with personal challenges, including complex relationships and concern for his mother Martha (Piper Laurie), who suffers under Gus's overbearing nature. The film delves into familial conflicts, identity crises, and the impact of economic shifts in early 1980s America.