The Day After

THE GIST: At the height of the Cold War, the Soviets take a belligerent stand against the US and NATO, engaging in confrontations that lead to full blown attacks. The tit for tat eventually escalates to using nuclear warheads, all but assuring mutual destruction. A few people's stories are told in the lead up to, and right after, the conflict goes nuclear.

The Day After is a TV movie that, despite an obviously limited budget, admirably and effectively shows how easily the world could have experienced a nuclear war during the '80s and what that would have looked like on the ground.

The cast includes Jason Robards, JoBeth Williams, Steve Guttenberg, John Cullum, John Lithgow, and Amy Madigan.

THE BOTTOM LINE: We've moved away from mutually assured destruction (MAD) between the East and the West, but with more countries joining the ranks of nuclear capable states, there's always the potential for a mishap that leads to something like what is portrayed here. Definitely recommended.

Grade: 8