PERFECT

Raised in a family of high achievers, a young mother gives birth to the dynasty’s first grandchild—a special-needs boy—and becomes obsessed with “fixing” him, her single-minded campaign threatening to destroy her marriage and exacting a psychological toll on her neglected daughter and husband, only to discover the truth about perfection from among the wreckage.

SYNOPSIS:

The CLARKE FAMILY have always been high achievers. At a birthday celebration for DR. JACK CLARKE, the family discovers that AMELIA, 29, and her husband SCOTT, 32, are expecting the first grandchild in this “unofficial” dynasty. At the birth of RONALD months later, Jack half-jokes that, rather than hospital scrubs with Ronnie’s name on them, they should have affixed a Presidential Seal. With expectations impossibly high, when Amelia learns from a child psychiatrist that Ronnie is a bit slow, she refuses to believe the prognosis. She determines to “fix” him.

She reschedules clients so she can conduct research. She reads medical journals and chases every new theory in child development. Scott humors her at first but points out her obsession has had little effect. “You’re qualified for a PhD, but he’s still playing with his oatmeal.”

When Scott brings up their plan to have another child, Amelia resists. He gives her an ultimatum and a year later, CHARLOTTE is born. “What about a Presidential Seal?” Amelia quips to her father. “Or should we see how she turns out first?”

THIRTEEN YEARS LATER, Ronnie is a strapping 17-year-old, happy, and popular at school, but there is no denying he is behind the curve. Meanwhile, Charlotte is extremely bright, perfectly “normal,” and largely ignored by her mother.

GAIL FARKAS, a brassy broad, gives Ronnie a ride home one day, coming to his rescue after he crashes his scooter. Gail’s energy and humor are infectious, and Amelia warms to her, but grows uncomfortable when Gail broaches Ronnie’s “special needs.” Ronnie is one lucky kid, according to Gail—he has zero self-esteem issues. It strikes Amelia that she has spent years trying to protect a child who didn’t need it.

But is that true? Without warning, Ronnie announces he’s going to prom. While Amelia freaks out, Ronnie sets out to find a date. He makes a list of the most beautiful girls in class and starts asking them. Finally, KARLI surprisingly offers to go with him. She a transfer from Texas and has a boyfriend, but he’s not here, and she wants to go. When Amelia and Scott pick them up after the dance, it turns out they had a great time, Karli admiring Ronnie’s willingness to dance every dance.

But Ronnie blurts out that he wants Karli to be his girlfriend, doesn’t understand when she explains that she can’t, and is crushed. Seems Ronnie is not bullet-proof, after all.

It’s not long, though, before Ronnie finds a true friend, DANIELLE POTTS, a large, imposing girl also in the “special” curriculum. But Danielle’s mother requests a meeting. “I don’t think Danielle and Ronnie should ‘hang out’ or whatever it is they’re doing,” says AUDREY POTTS, feeling that having a “special needs” boyfriend will hold her daughter back. Amelia is shocked. Danielle is “A linebacker in a dress, a borderline sociopath. You think Danielle is normal? You’re as crazy as she is!”

Driving home, Amelia finds Ronnie, wearing a T-shirt with a red “X” painted on it, directing traffic in the unmarked neighborhood intersection where he crashed his scooter, trying to keep people safe.

Amelia slams to a stop, jumps out, grabs Ronnie, and hugs him, reminding him how special he truly is.