"When a Man Loves a Woman" is about the havoc that is wrought in one family's life by alcoholism. My first impression, on hearing about the subject matter of this film, was that this was the sort of thing that belonged in a TV-movie, not on the big screen. "Immediate Family", a film about surrogate parenthood, was another TV-movie should-have-been and it failed miserably because it didn't bring any special insight into the issue that one couldn't find on the small screen. But "When a Man Loves a Woman" avoids this trap by exploring all facets of its focal point in a way that rings of truth.
Michael (Andy Garcia) and Alice (Meg Ryan) Green are a seemingly perfect, blissfully married couple. Their two young daughters, Jess (Tina Majorino) and Casey (Mae Whitman), although outwardly happy and well-adjusted, have seen a different side of mom. Alice has surrendered to the many pressures in her life by resorting to alcohol, lately with increasing frequency. When Michael, ever the supportive husband, decides that his wife's indulgence has gone past mere "partying", he suggests that she be treated for alcoholism. This involves a stay at a local detoxification clinic at which Alice makes a number of new friends.
Now that she is all sobered up, the accountability turns to Michael when the marriage starts to turn sour. Without any definite plans for the future, the couple separates and each must come to grips with his or her part of provoking the split. Just because Alice was an alcoholic didn't make Michael a saint, and he soon comes to realize this. Both he and Alice find within themselves the tools they need to put back together their marriage.
"When a Man Loves a Woman" is a thought-provoking, honest exploration of the serious problem of alcoholism. It's a deeply moving film filled with nuance. It takes what appears on the surface to be a simple affliction and reveals the complexities involved. Not easily swayed by the typical tear-jerker, I nevertheless found myself totally captivated by the expression of feeling within this movie. I get the impression that a film filled with such intelligence and subtlety could only have been written by someone personally involved in such a situation. I don't know if this is true, but the fact that the impression was made speaks highly of the film and its impact.