Customer Reviews

The Reading Room

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

THE READING ROOM is a made for television film that I stumbled upon when looking up something else. I read the summary: a widower opens a reading room in the inner city neighborhood of his youth and saw that it starred James Earl Jones, so I assumed that I'd probably enjoy it and wasn't all that surprised that I did.

It's somewhat predictable. We meet James Earl Jones' character William Campbell just after he buries his wife. He watches a videotape with her last words to him. She has the insight to know that her husband will need something to do with his time and since the two never had children, will need a way to give of himself. She tells him to take the wonderful collection of books the two shared and open a reading room in the area they grew up in, a neighborhood that has in the past few years, seen troubled times. In a short period of time, the room is opened. The kids in the neighborhood begin visiting, if for nothing else than the free soda. Campbell has to stand up to gangs, a teacher who seems bitter because of the struggles she faces in the classroom, and a minister who does not trust a wealthy man opening up a reading room as a hobby. Campbell has to also contend with gangs, thieves, and vandals who burn down the building. As we watch we may know what is going to happen, but the characters re likable so we want to see how it all works.

Since the film was a television film and not a theatrical release, there are interruptions for where commercials ought to be and since it has to fit a specific time slot, the story is fast paced. Perhaps a bit to fast paced for while I thought it was a touching story, it did take place in too fast a time frame. The action takes place over a sixty day period. Six months or a year would have been better and more realistic. To do the work that Campbell completes, he'd need to form alliances and give people time to trust him. This would also have given the characters a bit more dimension. Of course while this may be the way it would happen in life, we are talking about television where everything is possible in a 90 minute time frame and since it is just feel good entertainment, I suppose I should just leave it be.

My thought is that this would be a good film for classroom use. The commercial breaks provide an excellent opportunity for a pause and discussion. The love of books and the transforming power of literature as well as the importance of reading are evident throughout the story. It also shows how people can make a difference and could lead to ideas for service projects.

Just because everything is predictable about this modest film doesn't mean it's not worth watching. I thoroughly enjoyed it. An original Hallmark Channel production, THE READING ROOM introduces a simple but heartfelt story. James Earl Jones is simply grand as William Campbell, an affluent, elderly retired businessman who honors his dying wife's wish of opening a reading room in a rough inner city district. Striving to establish a welcoming atmosphere, William immediately does away with the protective bars on his windows. In the three months which follow, he overcomes several hurdles presented by an unenthused community and comes to foster in the local children a love for reading. That's the movie in a nutshell. But do yourself a favor and don't forego the simple, cozy pleasure you'll derive from watching THE READING ROOM. It's good.

James Earl Jones graces this movie with his stately, self-assured charm. There's just something so comforting about seeing him on screen, saying his dialogue in that deep and dignified voice of his. As mentioned, THE READING ROOM is predictable, but partly it's because I can't really see Mr. Jones not triumphing over the obfuscating school principal, the rather sinister reverend (who walks in with an entourage of bodyguards), and the initial resistance from the community. Even when he runs afoul of the local thugsters, I wasn't that worried. James Earl Jones simply has that presence.

A winning cast (kudos go to that little girl) and a heartwarming drama add up to something that the whole family can watch. THE READING ROOM is about honoring your loved ones, giving back to your roots, of gently perservering and of coming together, and developing a love for literature and education. Wonderful movie.

"The Reading Room" stars James Earl Jones as William Campbell, a retired wealthy businessman who decides to honor his dead wife's wish that he use one of their properties in a disadvantaged neighborhood as a reading room. Though he initially appears to undertake this task more as a means of honoring his late wife's memory, he comes to eventually care deeply about the people he meets and shares the reading room with, a cast of characters that worm their way into his heart and impact his life just as he changes their lives for the better.

Though this is a sentimental drama with many sappy scenes, I thought the main character as played by James Earl Jones was well-done without being exaggerated. Jones' William is credibly portrayed, a man who realizes that the reading room not only has the means to positively impact the lives of the youngsters and youth that come into it, but also provides him with a sense of family, something the childless William never truly experienced.

The supporting cast are all well-done - Joanna Cassidy appears in a few scenes, but plays a significant role - she's the schoolteacher who believes that William's efforts are worthwhile and keeps 'feeding' him students that need help with their reading. There are many others - the eight-year-old who asks William to help her read better so she can read her mother's prescription labels, the Hispanic teen who faces peer pressure to participate in criminal activities and who is offered a means of escape from his depressing life, the African-American youth who desperately wishes to get into college despite seemingly insurmountable odds, and those opposed to what the reading room symbolizes - the gang of thugs and also a Reverend who initially thinks William's efforts are futile.

This is a feel-good, inspiring drama about how individuals can make a difference, bring about positive change in a community through tireless, sincere efforts. With the legendary James Earl Jones leading the cast, this is a story that will have you rooting for William and company all the way!

This movie shows what it means to make a difference. Life is hard for many people and meeting daily challenges can be unbelievable difficult. All of us have the ability to make a difference in the future of everyone's child. This movie made me feel like not only could I make a postive impact but that I should.

This is a very good and powerful movie.The cast and acting were wonderful.George Stanford Brown's performance as the minister was great.The movie helped exposed a big problem here in the United States,illiteracy.The storyline about the gangs touched a nerve and I was glad that it was written in.Here is a sad fact about the United States,the richest nation in the world.45% of African-Americans graduate from high school,our education system is now about to fall out of the top 20 nations rankings in the world,and I watched Lou Rawls UNCF telethon back in the 1980s in which it was revealed by a state prosecuter that 78% of African-Americans he is prosecuting in court cannot read.We are talking about those in their late teens and adults.If you were to give them a copy of this review and ask to read it out loud,they will have trouble reading the smallest words.Hello Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton,are you reading this?You should be addressing the education problems in the black community and don't blame racisim.Thank you James Earl Jones for starring in a great movie.

I came across this movie during a visit to Wal-Mart. I wasn't looking for anything in particular and this movie came up. Being that I loved to read and hope to have a reading room/community center in my own neighborhood. The saddest thing is I didn't get it while it was stocked at Walmart. I had to wait until I could get it online, but as they say good things come to those who wait. This feel good movie about a retired businessman who loses his wife who asks that he open up a Reading Room in an inner-city neighborhood where they own property with the books they treasure and owned. At first he is met by little support, but as time goes on, he learns a few things, add a few things(offering free soda to those who want it); magazines for those who want ideas, more computers with games that the kids can get into. And despite some resistance and a fire burns it down, he still has the courage to help fullfill his wife's dream. A real nice movie for the whole family.

Can't miss this one. If they had 10 stars this one would earn it.

This is a solid entertainer in the Hallmark-Channel style. It hits all the right notes and the characters in the story all manage to do exactly what you hope they will so it does give you that "warm fuzzy" feeling inside without doing anything terribly original. I did like the beginning where James Earl Jones's wife asks him to set up a reading room in the neighborhood where he grew. Jones does not understand why his wife would ask this of him, but, over time, he comes to realize that he needs others to care for and to keep him going. By serving others, he gives himself a purpose and finds joy in life again. This is a message that we often do not get in our society. Helping others really does make you feel good and when you feel good, you want to help others. If everyone made a bit of an effort to do seemingly ordinary, everyday things to help others on their way, we would live in a much different society today.

Of course, Jones's character had to face obstacles in order to have something to triumph over, right? Most of the obstacles were pretty obvious including how do you get children to come into the reading room, single parents refusing to let their children study there as they were needed for chores at home, local thugs causing havoc and inner city kids believing they can't go to college. The one that caught me a little bit off guard was the local reverend who did not welcome the reading room into the neighborhood. He was pretty unwelcoming, actually. The reverend was concerned about what would happen to all of the children when Jones decided he was bored with his pet project and moves on. I felt that this was a really valid point. How many of us stick with the volunteer efforts that we start? Is 3 months long enough to have a life-changing impact on people? Of course it is. But what happens to those people when you leave? They know that there is something better out there for them, but now they do not have the means or motivate to reach out for it.

If you enjoy a good, heartwarming drama, then you will enjoy this one. James Earl Jones really plays himself in the movie, but I love the sound of his voice and it was a delight to see him in this smaller film. Hopefully some of his true personality was shining through as he helped a young girl learn how to read and coaxed a young man into pursuing his dream of attending college. I like to think so anyway. The supporting cast did not have to do much to fulfill their roles: a little girl had to be cute and precocious; a teenager had to be a tough, inner hood; a woman had to be a boozy, lazy single mom, etc. The characters were a little one note, but the message was still worthwhile. A good movie to watch with your children when they are a a little bit older about the value of giving back in some way.

What a marvelous movie. It tells of a man who opens a reading room in a poorer section of a city. It was his wifes dying wish. It teaches us how caring about people can bring about wonderful things. Yes, he has some down times when there is theft, vandalism and worse, but he keeps on trying to spread a little love and caring. This is a movie for the entire family to enjoy and learn from. As it says in the movie: More care, less hate.

James Earl Jones & Joanna Cassidy are at their best in this movie. Excellent "inner city" story. It would be nice to see more people doing this for the kids.