The Prince of Tides (1991)

Based on the (promotional material hastens to emphasis beloved) Pat Conroy novel of the same name, The Prince of Tides concerns an out of work teacher in a faltering marriage (Nick Nolte, then at the top of his game) who must travel from his native South Carolina to Manhattan to tend to his poetess twin sister (Melinda Dillon) who has just survived her third suicide attempt. In New York Tom (Nolte) teams up, at first reluctantly, with his sisters therapist (Barbra Streisand, who also directed) to get to the root of his sisters problems by focusing on shared childhood memories. In course of time Nolte and Streisand determine that Melinda's problems owe to a troubled childhood, and more particularly to a family secret that proves a pretty harsh watch. Oh and Nolte and Streisand also conduct an affair together before he returns to his wife who had been cheating on him, and Streisand's husband and had been cheating on her as well so I suppose its okay. Not withstanding some of the questionable relationship advise in this film, that could almost be subtitled 'the affair that saved my marriage', its a poignant Conroy story that is well acted and directed in a way that doesn't draw undue attention to itself (which might account for while the film got a best picture Oscar nomination, Streisand was not nominated for best director). Still a powerful picture worth seeing. ***1/2