Terror in the Family is a 1996 American television film directed by Gregory Goodell and starring Joanna Kerns, Dan Lauria, Andrew Kavovit, Adam Hendershott, Nan Martin, Beau Billingslea, Ryan Christopher Mouritsen, Kathleen Wilhoite, and Hilary Swank. The film is about parents' struggle with the raising of their teenage daughter whose rebellious temperament erupts into violence. Filming took place in Utah.
Plot
Deena Marten is a 15-year-old high school student living in Washington state, who has become a rebel since dating Garret Lexau, a senior who was suspended from school for hitting a teacher. Deena no longer keeps any of her promises, skips school and leaves the family home whenever she pleases. Her attitude and the breakdown of their formerly close relationship distresses her mother, Cynthia. The family appears perfect on the surface, but both children know their father, Todd, didn't want to have them. He is distant, preferring his sideline of manufacturing wooden bowls to spending time with Cynthia, who drinks too much and has turned to Deena for companionship. Deena's brother Adam forges school notes for her in addition to persuading Cynthia not to spy on her daughter's activities. He also acts as a surrogate for his father, watching movies with Cynthia until she falls asleep on the sofa.
Cynthia's relationship with her alcoholic mother is also dysfunctional. Her mother is resentful that her other daughter, Judith, doesn't speak to her. She criticizes Cynthia's parenting, advising her to be stricter with Deena and smack her if she refuses to obey. Rather than confront Deena over cleaning her room, Cynthia does it herself, which enrages Deena; she reacts violently, pushing her mother before fleeing the house. Adam begins drinking alcohol in order to cope with the stress within the family. Deena makes up with a drunken Cynthia, who insists they watch a film together, but their improved relationship tanks the next day when a letter from school notifies Cynthia that Deena has been skipping school. The confrontation turns violent, with Deena slapping Cynthia hard enough to bloody her lip. Todd ineffectually tries to parent Deena, guilting her into apologizing to Cynthia, who hides the real reason for the argument from him. Although she admitted to Garret that she liked hitting her mother, Deena apologizes and while she admits she skipped school, she lies and claims that she wasn't with Garret. She then asks Cynthia to continue to hide her truancy from her father and cover for her absence at school.
Cynthia agrees to lie for her, but she soon has another setback when the principal informs her Deena has been kicked off the swim team and watches Deena lie to him about possibly having mono. Todd announces that there are going to be changes in the house to put an end to Deena's rebellious behavior. Todd is furious with Cynthia, blaming the situation on her ineffectual parenting and drinking. Announcing new changes, he gives Deena an after-school curfew and list of chores. Deena agrees, then goes upstairs and has sex with Garret, who has snuck in through her bedroom window. The next day Todd demonstrates to Cynthia how effective his approach is, informing her that Deena went to class, and that he's obtained all her missing assignments and done some research about Garret. Cynthia defiantly tells him that he can tell Deena when she finally gets home, as she isn't back from school and hasn't called. Todd grills Adam as to Garret's whereabouts, blaming him for lying to his mother. Deena, who is out with Garret, calls Todd and claims she has merely been complying with his "list" and has been doing homework with a friend. In response to Deena's manipulation, Todd ends up bargaining with her what time she will return home. Cynthia immediately calls the parents of the friend who Deena claimed she was with, proving that Deena has lied to Todd and that he is just as ineffective a parent as she is. When Todd insists on seeing Deena's supposedly completed homework when she gets home, she erupts violently and slams her bedroom door on his hand, breaking his fingers. Deena recklessly climbs the local radio tower, saying she can't go back home, but Garret convinces her to run away to California with him when the weather is warmer for hitchhiking.
