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Andrew, on assignment as a sixth-grade teacher, resides over a
parent-teacher night at the school. A simple game the parents play
turns into a scene when a divorced couple, Martin and Janet, argue
over who better knows their son, John. Eleven-year-old John is
humiliated in front of his classmates, but quietly hides his grief
as Tess and Monica watch, unseen. As Andrew builds a relationship
with John, he begins to understand the tug-of-war that is John's
life. John lives with his mother and her new husband Phil, and
spends the weekends with his father. When Martin and Janet do have
to deal with each other, their communication is riddled with
subversion and insults. One weekend while John and Martin eat pizza
at a local restaurant, they run into Andrew and Monica, who
describes herself as an "advocate"-- someone who helps people. When
Janet arrives at the restaurant to deliver John's homework another
fight erupts, and John decides that he would like to enlist Monica's
services--to help him divorce his parents. Shocked, Andrew insists
that what John really needs is a break from his parents so they
spend the day at a museum exploring John's love of dinosaurs. At
first, John begins to feel better, but when he returns home to find
his parents in the midst of another fight, his desire for a divorce
becomes stronger. The next day, a process server delivers a subpoena
to Janet and Martin. At the family court, Tess presides as the court
judge. After it becomes clear that Janet and Martin cannot control
their outbursts, she orders a time-out. Andrew agrees to let John
stay with him for a few days, but first has to overcome one
problem-- he must find an apartment! At the next court date, Monica
takes the parent's depositions. Janet decries Martin's lack of
responsibility, while Martin argues that he tries his best with the
limited visitation he has. Finally, Tess wants to hear from John
himself but he refuses to testify, afraid that Tess will require him
to choose one parent over the other. Tess calls a recess and takes
the parents to her chambers where she relates to them the story of
King Solomon and the two mothers. Two women claim to be the mother
of one child and insist that Solomon pick the real mother. Unable to
decide, Solomon suggests they cut the child in two, giving equal
parts to both women. One woman thinks this is a fine idea, but the
other, the real parent, insists that the child be given to the other
woman rather than be harmed. Tess tells Martin and Janet that real
parents don't make their children suffer. Meanwhile, Monica and
Andrew talk to an upset John, telling him that God has answered his
prayers by sending him three angels. After a pep talk, John is ready
to take the stand. He tells his parents that he is afraid that they
will stop loving him, the way they stopped loving each other.
Finally, understanding the pain they have caused, Janet and Martin
commit to working on their relationship. Judge Tess gratefully
dismisses the case.
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