Table for Five is a sweet, nuanced melodrama that flies under the radar and offers a heartfelt depiction of a man who is trying to set his life straight in the eyes of his children. Some people may dismiss this film as another Lifetime film, while others may find this to be a moving tear-jerker. I seem to be in the latter category. The film is edited and written well, thus making for a good, intelligent film.

This film is about a father named J.P who is seen more as the friendly uncle. In order to change that view, he gets the permission from his ex- wife to take his three kids on a Mediterranean cruise where he finds out if this will be the best thing to happen to him.....or the worst thing to happen to him.

Jon Voight delivers a heartfelt performance as J.P as the father who means well, but doesn't live up to expectations of his family. Richard Crenna delivers a good performance as J.P ex-wife's new husband. I also like the performances out of the children whom as first-time actors, were actually worth rooting for.

Overall, Table for Five may not be the best drama film you'll see, but it still is a powerful piece of work that rings a true message about change and love. Like the movie itself, all the performances are heartfelt and meaningful. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's certainly a film that flew under the radar and one that needs to go over the radar.

My Grade: A-

Jon Voight is an actor whom I have never quite decided about. And, in this film he demonstrates why. There are occasional scenes I just don't buy, and other scenes where I think he is quite remarkable. This film and "Conrack" are my two favorite Voight performances, and I think it's because in both he plays against the character we usually think of him being.

I enjoyed this film when I first saw it back in 1983, and was pleased to see it out in Blu Ray now (in 2017) from Kino-Lorber Video. However, the film suffers a bit from deterioration, and it is particularly noticeable in the most dramatic sequence in the film. That is not to say that you shouldn't buy or watch the film...it is still very enjoyable...but you may find it a bit distracting.

In this film a "part-time father" (Voight) decides to take his 3 children (2 are biologically his, the third is adopted) on a trip to Egypt and other places via a cruise ship. He learns (once again) that maybe he doesn't have what is needed to be a real father. During the cruise he learns that the children's mother (his former wife) has died in a car accident. Should the children go back to their step-father (who loves them; played by Richard Crenna),or should he try to gain custody of them? Key here are the performances, particularly of the children. Ronana Zal as the daughter is superb. As is Roby Kiger as the young son, who suffers from a learning handicap. Son Hoang Bui is the adopted son, and he seemed a little stiff here. Richard Crenna, who was generally quite a good character actor in his more mature years, wasn't as impressive here as I have sometimes seen him. However, it's a very controlled performance and he manages to not come across as the heavy. French actress Marie-Christine Barrault as a sort of combination love-interest and friend-life-coach does nicely.

I still like this film, just as I remembered liking it 34 years ago. Recommended.

I first saw this movie when I was 15, and just saw it again over 20 years later. The movie still resonates with me after all this time. Children of a divorce who are trying to get to know their distant parent, and parents trying to get to know their children can appreciate the emotions each character is going through. I can also appreciate that the father is trying to be a good father but doesn't know how. His intentions are well meaning. The relationships between he and his children are realistic.

For those of you who rent from Netflix and read that the co-star is Kevin Costner, you will either be disappointed or happy to see that he has only an extra part, barely recognizable today! I recommend this as a good family film, especially for divorced families.