Beyond the Blackboard (2011) Reviews

• Inspiring, well done

  vchimpanzee2011-04-28

  In this fact-based Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation, Stacey is 24 years old in 1987 and fresh out of college. She has wanted to be a teacher since she was a little girl. In flashbacks, we see her as a little girl who has to listen to her father yell at her mother, but other than that we don't know the specifics of why her early life was not pleasant. Then at 16 she becomes pregnant and drops out of school. Still, she married the father, Greg, and earned her GED, then graduated from college, all while raising not one but two children. Stacey is interviewed by the head of human resources for the Salt Lake City schools (Timothy Busfield), who has one opening for her--a school for the homeless. It turns out to be much worse than she imagined: a dump of a warehouse which is also the homeless shelter, with no textbooks or real desks for the students who cover a wide range of ages and abilities, or anything to make it look like a real school. Every time a train passes it's like an earthquake. The substitute teacher she is replacing can't wait to get out of the place. There is a class pet--sort of. But the kids are no worse than kids in any other inner-city school, and most of the homeless are really nice to Stacey. One exception is Candy, who doesn't understand her kids should be in school so they can improve their status in life. After the first day, though, Stacey has only one incentive to stay at this dump. She doesn't want her own children to see her quit. So she perseveres, finally getting through to the school children and really teaching them instead of just babysitting. But the real challenge is dealing with the bureaucracy--she has no actual principal, and no one wants to take responsibility for anything. Eventually, Stacey gets Dr. Warren to listen, and things improve. Some of the homeless people assist Stacey in her efforts, and one is so good at his job he can be paid for it. Still, other challenges are ahead in this environment. There is an additional complication in Stacey's life that has nothing to do with her job, but it's just a challenge that adds to the others. She won't give up. This was a really good movie, though one possible criticism is the fact that these kids were too ideal. And Stacey's own children are too perfect to be believed. But the movie is based on fact, and maybe this is the way it was. Another omission: at the end the real Stacey Bess was introduced, and she mentioned prayer. Not once was a specific religious faith brought up in this movie. Was this an effort to be "politically correct" and not single out one faith over others? Emily VanCamp does a very good job. She looks so much like Melissa Gilbert that she seemed familiar, even though I don't really know her. The real Stacey Bess looked very much like Kiersten Warren, an actress playing one of the homeless parents. Still, Warren is much older than Stacey is supposed to be here, and she was well suited for a tough, more street-smart character. All the leading actors were very good. I would single out Paola Nicole Andino as Maria, a sixth-grader intending to be a teacher but dealing with challenges. Also Liam McKanna as Danny, who goes from Stacey's worst discipline problem (but hardly anything to write home about) to one of the class leaders and a child with lots of potential. It was worthy of the name Hallmark Hall of Fame.

• Great Hallmark Movie!

  willeagle232011-04-25

  My wife asked me to watch this movie with her last night and I'm glad she did. This was a very well done movie. All the actors did a great job especially Emily VanCamp as Stacey Bess. The child actors they got for this movie also did a very good job. I became very interested in the children and what their story was. And to probably be expected some were pretty sad. It was interesting to find out what happens to them during the movie. And as in all Hallmark movies there are some moments that tug at your heartstrings! And moments where you get a smile on your face. This was a story that I wasn't aware of so you could learn something from this movie as well as just get some enjoyment from it. A good choice for the family to watch.

• Beyond the Blackboard

  cgflames2011-04-25

  I was surprised. I didn't intend to watch the movie, but once I started I couldn't turn it off or DVR the rest. I wanted to stay till the end. I found the child actors to be believable and talented. I was happy with the job the adults did as well. I found the story to be sad, but truthfully what can be expected in our world today with the way things are (unemployment so high, lots of businesses going out and leaving people unable to take care of themselves any longer, and so forth). I found that the movie made me want to read the book, to see how accurate the story is. I can imagine that things were much worse than they were shown in the movie. I was happy that the ending was real and not a happily ever after ending. Life for the homeless rarely seems to end with everything hunky dory, for some people things improve, for a lot they just go downhill quickly. Most of all I was happy to get to meet the real person at the end of the movie. Although there was good info on how to help, which I am sure was most important to this wonderful woman, it would have been nice to have a better update on her family situation. IE: still married with this many kids, all grown or ages (fill in the blanks). It is something I always look for at the end of a true story.

• Beyond the Blackboard: Chalk it Up to Success ****

  edwagreen2011-04-26

  While it often doesn't happen, this is the way schools should be. A novice teacher in Utah is assigned to teach children who are homeless. Where they have housed these children and their families is an absolute disgrace to mankind. Our teacher heroine makes a life for these children. Quickly realizing that it can never be all about academics for these children, she first must get them to trust her and provide a warm, safe environment for them and their parents, many of whom are skeptical at the beginning. Academics shall follow. There is plenty of determination and true grit on her part. Of course, not everyone would call this realistic. Discipline problems are quickly dispensed with as an example. The bureaucratic nature of education is revealed. As this is a Hallmark picture, you know the story will be heartwarming and this film certainly is. Based on a true story, I fully congratulate this outstanding teacher.

• Beyond the Blackboard was an inspirational depiction of the Stacey Bess story

  tavm2011-04-27

  I originally wasn't going to watch last Sunday but when I came home from work that day, my mom had it on there and seeing a familiar face from "Everwood" (Emily VanCamp), I decided to stick it out. I was very glad I did as this was quite an inspirational "based on a true story" movie though I'm sure since this was produced by the Hallmark greeting card company, not all the nasty things that went on that lower income school was going to be depicted. But you can see some of the frustrations this Stacey Bess went through and her struggles to get some needed textbooks and other materials when she talks to the man who hired her (Timothy Busfield). But when she then talks to another administrator (Treat Williams who I also recognized from "Everwood"), he decides to see what he can do and does more than she can thank him for. It was a wonderful surprise when these two former co-stars from the WB series showed up together on screen. There were other wonderful sequences but I'll just now say that this was very inspirational and if you're interested in this kind of thing, it's now on DVD at you're nearest Hallmark store. P.S. Loved the vintage Hallmark commercials that was shown throughout. Was especially interested in the one from 1975.