Second Best is a 1994 British drama film produced by Sarah Radclyffe and directed by Chris Menges.

He only has a vague memory of his mother from when he was aged 3, but he has a vivid and romantic image of his father, who in fact is constantly in and out of prison.

Throughout the movie James has flashbacks of his past about his father and his mother which cause him to act out, from self-mutilation to destruction of property.

As Graham goes through the extended vetting process to be an adoptive parent, he has to attend classes and meet regularly with social workers.

She explained to Graham about James constantly running away and she finding him almost naked, hiding in holes and covered in dirt.

He tells Graham, while remembering a similar experience with his birth father, that the kiss has to be a long one to make it feel better.

James flips a sign over at a gas station from open to closed, more a symbol of his past is over and his new life is beginning, and he hurries to place his hand in Graham's.

[4] Channel 4 (who rated it 4.6 out of 5) wrote: "The powerful and sometimes crippling relationships between fathers and sons is the inspiration behind Menges' worthy drama".