Title: Sleepless in Seattle

Date: 1993

Media type: Film

Format: Complete

Category: Internal Dynamics of Families

Keywords: Family trauma, response to crisis, stress and coping, single parenting

Rating: PG – Parental Guidance Suggested

Audience(s): Children Under 12, High School Age, College Age, Adults, Parents, Couples, Families

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: Newly widowed Sam Baldwin and his 8-year-old son Jonah move from Chicago to Seattle in order to attempt to escape the grief that comes from losing a mother and a wife. Even after Eighteen months, Sam still is stuck in the grieving process and can barely sleep. Even though Jonah misses his mother, he wants his dad to meet someone new so he can be happy again. Then, on Christmas Eve, Sam ends up sharing his life story with his late wife and talked about how their life together was absolute bliss and perfection. Annie Reed hears Sam confessing his love for his wife on the radio and ends up falling in love with him. Even though Annie is engaged to another man, she can’t get Sam out of her mind. Annie writes to Sam to meet her on top of the Empire State Building. Will things work out for Annie and Sam, or is their situation just too complicated for things to work out between the two?

Comments or Recommendations for Teaching: How does being widowed affect how Sam parents his son Jonah?

Places to view: Itunes, Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play

Contributor: Krista Hamann