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DOOR TO DOOR (2002) (***)

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Based on a true story, director Steven Schachter (THE WOOL CAP) and star William H. Macy (THE COOLER) have crafted this heart-warming TV biopic that chronicles the story of Bill Porter (Macy), a man with cerebral palsy who through patience and perseverance became a top door-to-door salesman for the Watkins company.

Porter’s mother (Helen Mirren, CALENDAR GIRLS) drives her son to succeed. Porter’s dedication to the products he sold and determination made him a born salesman. The film paints Porter as an inspirational figure in the mode of movie-of-the-week fashion. Where this film stands above the typical movie-of-the-week is through Macy’s wonderful performance and the relationships the film develops with the women in Porter’s life.

Mirren is solid as Porter’s mother who develops Alzheimer’s. Kyra Sedgwick (WHAT’S COOKING?) plays Shelley Brady, a college student that comes to work for Porter. Porter falls for Shelley and the film handles the relationship with sad poignancy. Additionally, there’s another interesting relationship that Porter develops with the lonely client Gladys Sullivan (Kathy Baker, 13 GOING ON 30).

The film gets a bit cliché and sentimental toward the end, but because Macy wins one over so much by then, one doesn’t mind so much. The Emmy wins for Macy and the film were well deserved. This is the kind of sad feel-good film that has so much heart that you can’t deny its charms.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks