As TV Movies from the 80s go, you don't get much better than this one. Starring Mark Harmon, Jodi Foster, Jonathan Silverman, William McNamara, Blair Brown and now comedic director Harold Ramis, this picture is filled with a solid cast, heart felt writing and laughs.

"Stealing Home" is the story of washed up C-league baseball player named William "Billy" Wyatt, played by Mark Harmon (Freaky Friday, Chasing Liberty), who gets a call from his mother telling him his childhood babysitter and family friend Katie Chandler has committed suicide and has willed her ashes to Billy.

Billy is confused, knowing he hasn't seen or spoken to her in 15 years, is wondering why she has chosen him to take care of her ashes. So he hops on a bus and train back to his hometown to accept them and figure out what to do with them.

During his treck back home, we are given a series of memories, starting when Billy was a child of 10 and Katie at 16. Billy's memories continue through the summer of 1942 after his father passed away, Billy at 18, played by William Macnamara (Copy Cat), Katie at 24, played by Jodi Foster (Silence of the Lambs).

This comprises most of Acts One and Two, leading the viewer into some heartwrenching moments between Billy, his mother and his love for Katie in his later youth. Also, we are shown the hilarious antics of he and his best friend Allen, played by Jonathan Silverman (Weekend at Bernie's), as they seek to loose their virginity.

The later portion of the film is washed up Billy trying to figure out what to do with Katie's ashes and reconnecting with Allen, now played by Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters).

The picture has such a nostalgic feeling for anyone who can remember their first summer of infatuation, anyone who has lost a loved one, and anyone who ever had a crush on their babysitter. It also speaks volumes about how the spirit of a close friend can be one person's endless salvation, even in death.

Co-writers and co-directors Steven Kampmann and William Porter teamed up for a couple other 80s comedies like "Summer School" and "The Couch Trip," but "Stealing Home" remains their sole directorial effort. Today, both persons work as actors only.

Harmon does well as the washed up Billy, showing his pain for losing his father even 15 years later and the love he had for Katie. Ramis and Silverman did extremely well to match their performances for the same role at different ages. Silverman is a riot.

Macnamara is fairly well, but at times overplayed a couple of intense scenes, while Foster was top notch at the time. She had one an Academy Award the same year for "The Accused." This picture she should be proud of. Blair Brown (Dogville, Space Cowboys) tears up the screen as Billy's mother, especially when her character becomes a widow. Helen Hunt (Twister, As Good As It Gets) also appears as Billy's sister's older self in like one scene.

There are so many places to laugh in this picture, so many places to get choked up and so many places to simply smile, it is difficult for me to think of it and not give it my highest rating.

The DVD disc, if you can find it, floats around bargin bins in most department stores, so if you see it, its definitely worth the money. However, it is not in widescreen. Remember, it's a TV made movie and the cinematography is properly framed for a 4:3 aspect ratio, so there's no pan and scanning involved and you never feel like you've lost something in the frame.

The worst thing about this movie is it was Kampmann and Porter's last writing effort as well. It is sad they stopped writing on their best effort.

Benn - Where's the Humanity?