When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story (2010)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

While acknowledging that Bill Wilson was not perfect (um ... who is?), his contribution to alcoholic mankind was out of this world. I am speaking from someone who appreciates the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. It is quite fascinating. I've been to Dr. Bob and Anne's house in Akron, Ohio; A.A. World Services in New York several times; and Lois and Bill's Bedford Hills home - Stepping Stones. I enjoyed seeing the Bible where Bill wrote his pledges ~ at one of these places (been awhile; can't recall where.)The movie touched my heart. I appreciated the brilliance in its creation. Winona Ryder and Barry Pepper were outstanding as well. I highly recommend it to anyone.

Just watched this "Hallmark Hall of Fame" TV movie on my DVR. It stars Winona Ryder as the wife of the founder of Alcoholics Annonymous, Bill Wilson, here portrayed by Barry Pepper. Over and over again, after he goes from the joys of Wall Street to the firing after the Stock Market Crash, Lois suffers from his constant drinking despite frequent promises to stop until he hits rock bottom and starts his program. But she still can't have him to herself so when she invites the other wives of reformed alcoholics to the home, she inadvertently starts her own group called Al-Anon. I have to tell you right now, all those scenes of Ms. Ryder just crying and getting angry really put me through the ringer! I've read about some of the omissions of their lives in the other comments but despite that, I found this film very compelling to watch and quite inspirational too. So on that note, I highly recommend When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story.

Like the last reviewer, I was also expecting at least a hint at Bill W's notorious womanizing, and it was disappointing that Lois W's experience wasn't fully represented. But I think the movie was successful in capturing the ongoing destructiveness of the disease and eventual dissolution of hope, as well as the expectation that love can fix everything. The acting was real. Winona Ryder's beauty is toned down but she is still beautiful and also believable, and--like most alcoholics I know--Barry Pepper's Bill W was mesmerizing and charismatic. When he's on screen, you can't take your eyes off him. It's a beautiful movie to watch, with lush sets and costumes. The pacing is good, as well.

As a recovered alcoholic and student of AA history, I found myself shaking my head with both disappointment and amusement as I watched this movie. In addition to the overly melodramatic tone, the story left out several critical facts, among them: (1) Bill W. was an absolutely notorious womanizer, not only while drinking but also after he got sober, even going so far as to leave 10% of his Big Book royalties to his favorite mistress, Helen W.; (2) the writing of the Big Book was a collaboration, and several chapters were not written by Bill W., although he alone got royalties; (3) the chapter in the BB entitled "To Wives", which was presented as having been written by Lois, was actually written by Bill, who apparently did not believe that she could do it justice--this infuriated Lois (and one can only imagine her thoughts about Bill's bequest to his mistress).To my mind, leaving those things out turned this story into nothing more than Hallmark's usual pabulum. I would vastly have preferred the truth, which is that Lois never stopped putting up with an incredible degree of selfishness and arrogance from Bill, because he cheated on her for their entire marriage. Not only that, but his predatory behavior was a big problem in early AA, so much so that a "Founders Watch" committee was formed in an attempt to keep him from hitting on the attractive, vulnerable women coming to the program for help. The sickening sweetness with which Bill and Lois's relationship was portrayed did nothing to edify: it was like a typical, predicable, and ultimately untruthful AA lead in which the alcoholic finds AA, receives the "miracle of sobriety" and lives happy ever after.The one thing I did like about the movie was that it presented Al-Anon for the most part as what Al-Anon actually is: a 12 step program where members work exactly the same steps as AA. Many people, including mental health professionals, mistakenly believe that Al-Anon exists to help family members understand what the alcoholic is going through, or to help him or her quit drinking, when nothing could be further from the truth.