A Little Help 2011

In a seemingly mundane suburban existence, Laura Pehlke (married to Bob, the father of 12-year-old Dennis) begins to experience cracks in her seemingly perfect life. As a dental hygienist, Laura spends her days entrenched in a cycle of routine appointments while her husband, Bob, a real estate agent, frequently arrives home late from work. Tensions simmer as they grapple with their marriage and family dynamics.

The turning point arrives during a birthday barbecue for Laura’s twin niece and nephew, where a confrontation unveils deeply rooted suspicions. Laura boldly accuses Bob of being unfaithful, igniting a fierce argument that leads her to storm off from the celebration. In a frantic attempt to reconcile, Bob pursues her but suffers a panic attack, collapsing on the road. A subsequent doctor’s examination reveals the gravity of his condition.

This incident sets off a chain reaction in Laura’s life, where she is forced to confront her grief and uncertainty. Eager to help, her overbearing sister, Kathy Helms, along with their mother, Joan, swoops in, insisting that Laura needs to take charge of her financial future. Kathy urges her to consult a lawyer, who recommends pursuing legal action against the doctor who treated Bob. Initially hesitant, Laura eventually agrees, only to uncover a stunning revelation about Bob’s secretary, who turns out to have been involved in a secret affair with him.

In the meantime, Laura’s nephew, Kyle Helms, finds his passion for music, forming a garage band and performing locally. While his father, Paul, is supportive of Kyle’s creativity, Kathy views it as a distraction from education, creating a rift in their relationship. A serendipitous encounter with Dion DiMucci, an iconic rock star, at a radio station reignites Kyle’s zeal for his musical ambitions.

As the plot thickens, Laura must navigate life without Bob while also addressing her son Dennis’s difficulties fitting in at his prestigious new school. In an effort to gain acceptance from his peers, Dennis concocts an elaborate tale about his father’s supposed heroism during the September 11 attacks. Although initially shocked by her son’s fiction, Laura soon finds herself unwittingly complicit in his lie. As she recounts the story to his classmates, the vulnerability of their family becomes starkly evident.

The night unfolds, leading Dennis to a friend’s birthday party where he unexpectedly garners attention due to a striking body art tribute depicting the World Trade Center’s tragic demise. Unbeknownst to them, an old acquaintance from summer camp is present, resulting in a chance reunion that threatens to expose the truth about Dennis’s father. Concurrently, Laura has a fortuitous meeting with the birthday boy’s mother at a quiet gas station, where she stumbles upon vital information that will dramatically alter her life’s course. In a race against time, Laura rushes back to the party, only to find Dennis alone and dejected, ostracized by his classmates.

As the evening’s cool air embraces them, Paul and Laura are drawn into a shared space in her tranquil yard. Under a glittering canopy of stars, they light up a joint and enter into an open-hearted dialogue. It is in this intimate setting that Paul reveals a long-hidden truth: he has been enamored with Laura since their high school days, marrying Kathy only as a pale imitation of his true affection—decisions he now regrets. A flashback takes us to their teenage years, where Paul’s earnest attempts to catch Laura’s eye went unnoticed, as he tossed tennis balls over the fence, hoping she would join him.

Several days later, Laura invites Paul to meet her privately at work, where she candidly expresses her regrets. If only she had returned those tennis balls, she muses, perhaps she could have avoided the heartache of unreciprocated love. In this quiet moment, their emotions converge, leading to a shared kiss that momentarily erases the world around them.

As this intricate narrative unfolds, Laura embarks on a profound journey of self-discovery and healing, reclaiming agency in her life and towards a brighter future.