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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Thora Birch (American Beauty) is Liz Murray: homeless at 15, Harvard undergrad at 19. Based on a true story, the Lifetime movie begins when her mother, Jean (Kelly Lynch), a schizophrenic with a substance abuse problem, is placed in a mental institution. Liz and her sister are left with their father, Peter, who is also a drug addict. When Jean returns two years later, she's clean, but has AIDS (and will soon start drinking again). When Peter falls behind on the rent, they lose their apartment. He moves into a shelter, the rest move in with Jean's abusive father. Liz hits the streets soon afterwards. Once on her own, she gets serious about her studies and her hard work eventually pays off. Homeless to Harvard earned three Emmy nominations, including one for Birch, while Lynch (Drugstore Cowboy) is just as believable as her kindhearted mess of a mother. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Product Description
Liz Murray was raised in poverty by drug-addicted parents. Though they loved her, they were unable to care for her and Liz ended up living on the streets by the age of 15. Profoundly affected by her mother's AIDS-related death, Liz forced herself to look at her future and make some significant changes. Her prospects were dismal, yet she turned her life around by going back to high school. After earning her diploma in just two years, while still homeless, Liz won a New York Times scholarship for needy students, which enabled her to attend Harvard University.
DVD Features:
Interviews:Interview with the real Liz Murray
Other:Inspirational message from Liz Murray
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The most inspiring movie I've ever seen.
However, I hate how they ended it. Right before the credits it says that Liz Murray left Harvard in 2003. What they didn't mention was that she transferred to Columbia University (still an Ivy League school), continued her studies and is now persuing her masters degree in sociology and psychology.
I wish they simply changed the title and simply didn't emphasize so much about Harvard. That's PR hype for you.
According to her 2005 speech at Greencastle, Ind., Liz Murray says "It's not about Harvard, it's not about a prestigious school. It's not about that. It's about learning, about educating yourself and gathering enough knowledge to find your way through any little crack or crevice you possibly can so you can move up and escape from that trap you were born into."
However, I hate how they ended it. Right before the credits it says that Liz Murray left Harvard in 2003. What they didn't mention was that she transferred to Columbia University (still an Ivy League school), continued her studies and is now persuing her masters degree in sociology and psychology.
I wish they simply changed the title and simply didn't emphasize so much about Harvard. That's PR hype for you.
According to her 2005 speech at Greencastle, Ind., Liz Murray says "It's not about Harvard, it's not about a prestigious school. It's not about that. It's about learning, about educating yourself and gathering enough knowledge to find your way through any little crack or crevice you possibly can so you can move up and escape from that trap you were born into."
19 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase
I saw this one when it first came out (on Lifetime) and am delighted it is finally available on video/Dvd. Thora Birch does an exceptional job playing a girl whose family life is chaotic (her mother is a drug addict, her father is mentally ill).
She's the butt of jokes at school because she has had no training in normal social behanvior and her home is so cluttered and messy that finding clean clothes to wear is a major challenge.
Somehow she manages to rise above her circumstances, beating the odds and going to Harvard. Credit the filmmakers for being honest and staying away from saccharine solutions. THis is a gritty but riveting film. A must-have in my colletion..should be in yours.
She's the butt of jokes at school because she has had no training in normal social behanvior and her home is so cluttered and messy that finding clean clothes to wear is a major challenge.
Somehow she manages to rise above her circumstances, beating the odds and going to Harvard. Credit the filmmakers for being honest and staying away from saccharine solutions. THis is a gritty but riveting film. A must-have in my colletion..should be in yours.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I switched on the television to catch the initial third of the film, 'Homeless to Harvard'. I could not move after that, because I felt that what the protagonist of the story was so fascinating in, was her moving in a simple kind of way in a complicated pattern of life, in a simple world of her own, yet knowing only the kind of homes she did, of extreme poverty. Underneath the simple story told, there were these other layers of life, and of 'connections'.
After the end of the film, I went into the web to try and locate more information on Liz Murray. I found mountainloads of material: a whole range, in fact. I wrote to Amazon.com, and within minutes, I received a reply (presumably, from some machine-operated response, but it still didn't stop me from being impressed, since I live on the other side of the world, to get that rapidity of reply - the marvels of science)to say that my order for the Liz Murray story on DVD had been noted, and would arrive within the next fortnight. It did - just a few days later. Most impressive, this efficiency.
Since then, I have watched the film twice, and taken my own time to finish it at my own speed. I am someone who has stopped teaching, on early retirement, as a result of poor health. Had I still been at school, I would have taken my personal DVD with me to class, for anaylysis and discussion.
However, when one looks at 'Homeless to Harvard', one could also be looking at not only the disadvantaged in Asian cities, but those with greater problems not only here, but elsewhere as well. That wherever there are these ravages of war for example, other or similar kinds of difficulties run parallel. In that sense, the children at these places are always far worse. Comparisons are invariably impossible. Unfair as well.
I have mentioned this DVD to some friends, and what Amazon.com. had done for me! Actually, some friends had mentioned its world-wide services before, but I had not acted on the knowledge. This has been an eye opener, mainly for the obvious positive points of the message of the film, especially for people who do not have much, or might be disadvantaged. The comparisons or comments might also be made by other people, and it is through the acting of the actress and related people in the cast.
The only part I was not so sure of, was in the conclusion, I didn't feel that it fit well into the rest of the film. That was my personal reaction to it. One presumes that some of the quotations from the film were taken from Liz Murray? I wonder if the film could have ended with one of her quotations.
Zheng Shuying
Singapore
After the end of the film, I went into the web to try and locate more information on Liz Murray. I found mountainloads of material: a whole range, in fact. I wrote to Amazon.com, and within minutes, I received a reply (presumably, from some machine-operated response, but it still didn't stop me from being impressed, since I live on the other side of the world, to get that rapidity of reply - the marvels of science)to say that my order for the Liz Murray story on DVD had been noted, and would arrive within the next fortnight. It did - just a few days later. Most impressive, this efficiency.
Since then, I have watched the film twice, and taken my own time to finish it at my own speed. I am someone who has stopped teaching, on early retirement, as a result of poor health. Had I still been at school, I would have taken my personal DVD with me to class, for anaylysis and discussion.
However, when one looks at 'Homeless to Harvard', one could also be looking at not only the disadvantaged in Asian cities, but those with greater problems not only here, but elsewhere as well. That wherever there are these ravages of war for example, other or similar kinds of difficulties run parallel. In that sense, the children at these places are always far worse. Comparisons are invariably impossible. Unfair as well.
I have mentioned this DVD to some friends, and what Amazon.com. had done for me! Actually, some friends had mentioned its world-wide services before, but I had not acted on the knowledge. This has been an eye opener, mainly for the obvious positive points of the message of the film, especially for people who do not have much, or might be disadvantaged. The comparisons or comments might also be made by other people, and it is through the acting of the actress and related people in the cast.
The only part I was not so sure of, was in the conclusion, I didn't feel that it fit well into the rest of the film. That was my personal reaction to it. One presumes that some of the quotations from the film were taken from Liz Murray? I wonder if the film could have ended with one of her quotations.
Zheng Shuying
Singapore
Most Recent Customer Reviews
inspirational
This video is very great to show kids they can become great in life. Just give it a try and you can overcome.
Published 2 months ago by Darryl Goodrich
DVD Didn't Work
The story is wonderful; however, I could only view the first 30 minutes. The DVD was defective. What a disappointment.
Published 2 months ago by Marcia
A true life story, about a life on the streets .
This movie I would have everyone buy, it shows how nothing is imposssible for you
if you really want it bad enough. Read more
if you really want it bad enough. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Arlene
Video
Product arrived quickly and great quality. I work with juveniles and showed them this movie and they loved it! Read more
Published 4 months ago by VALADY
Best Movie for motivating students
Movie was in excellent condition! Did not see any problems with packaging and the movie played nicely. Read more
Published 8 months ago by C. Buckley
A Child Breaks Free Of Her Own Boundaries
I was riveted to this story from a magazine blurb directing me to watch this Lifetime movie that particular night which I knew was sanitized to pass for general consumption. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Pit O'Maley
excellent story
i remember my English teacher showing us this movie when i was in the 7th grade (i am now a senior in high school)and i thought the movie was wonderful (and i'm sure, for the... Read more
Published 16 months ago by mandyrenee
Great video
I taught a abuse and neglect college course and showed this video to my class. WOW..great video.
Published 20 months ago by Crime Fighter
Kelly from Michigan
I was pleased with the quickness of delivery, the quality of the movie and the movie was very inspiring!!
Published on April 1, 2010 by James Fultz
Great movie!!!
Wao, incredible story of dreams to conquer of a girl in trouble. A true story. All students must see this movie!!!
Published on June 8, 2009 by Pedro Bonilla
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