Back to School Mom (2015) Reviews

• ****

  edwagreen2015-03-03

  This is far from your ordinary story of an adult returning to college to complete her degree and the various trials and tribulations that she has in pursuit of her degree. Rather, we're dealing with upper class minority people who hold extremely high values and our heroine here is no different. She discovers the child she gave up years ago, as he tutors her in preparation for the attaining of her degree. Loretta Devine, the friend of the heroine, has already her degree but she doesn't speak as a sophisticated lady. Rather, our heroine, with the hardships of life behind her, acts as though she is extremely well accomplished and quite versatile. We are dealing with high powered people; the father being forced by his family to make sure that his pregnant girlfriend gave up her rights to the child. It's a story of the upper crust among minorities and it is very well done.

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• Back-To-School Mother Rediscovers Her Son

  Desertman842017-05-14

  Kimberly Elise stars in this TV movie about a forty-one year old woman who returns to college to finish the last year to complete her degree entitled "Back to School Mom". Denzel Whitaker, Loretta Devine and former NBA star Rick Fox co-star in this television film directed by Christopher Erskin. Mary Thomas is a successful singer who has performed all over the world.But in spite of her success,she still felt haunted by what she did more than two decades ago when she gave up her rights of the child that she bear to her fiancé completely.Then,Mary decided to go back to school to complete her college education.In the process,she gets to meets Noah,an aspiring lawyer that works as a tutor.They became friends but later,she found out that Noah who actually happens to be her son.More drama ensues as Mary gets to know her former fiancé and why Noah is also pursuing a career in music.In the end,we get to see Noah revealed the truth and a new mother-and-son relationship ensues between him and Mary. No question that this is a above-standard Lifetime TV movie.The performance of Kimberly Elise assures us of that.It also provides us an interesting character Mary that the viewer would surely engage upon her feelings especially upon the rediscovery of her son.Added to that,we also get to see her how much more fulfillment Mary has attained after reuniting Noah to form the mother-son relationship and the completion of her college education at late age.Overall,the TV movie will delight the viewers despite the fact that it had some melodramatic moments in it.

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• Loved the movie!

  cinemaniacz2015-11-08

  I just saw this movie and really enjoyed it!! I am big fans of Kimberly Elise and was looking through her filmography, which is how I found this movie. I am glad I found it...made for a nice little movie night. The story is about Mary (Kimberly Elise---needs to win an Oscar one day) who decides to go back to school many years later after giving her son up for adoption and pursuing a career in music. Like a fish out of water and feeling out of place, she turns to her best friend Meghan (Loretta Devine---love her!) who always gives her perspective. She also befriends an honor student mentor Noah (Denzel Whitaker), who actually turns out to be the son she gave up many years ago. She doesn't confess this to her son initially but later is forced to after some unfortunately awkward circumstances....yikes! By the way, Kimberly Elise never ceases to amaze me with the level of intensity she can bring to a character...I am surprised she doesn't get enough credit!! Don't want to give anything away...but great job overall!

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• A pleasant surprise...

  Erin_Solo2015-03-27

  Back to School Mom, both dramatically and at times comically, navigated through some important topics involving women and the African American community today. The issues of right to life, social class and the value of higher education were implicitly conveyed throughout the film. The protagonist's Mary Thomas (played by Kimberly Elise) story deals with the burden of giving her son up for adoption (essentially), only to meet him later after returning to college as a 41 year old non-traditional student. Kimberly Elise did an amazing job in displaying the vulnerability of a character that was conflicted with the decision to reveal herself to her son Noah (Denzel Whitaker). Bolstered by her reliable confidant and voice of reason Meghan (Loretta Devine), Mary is able to develop a sincere friendship with Noah and gain an inside look into the heart and character of the son she never raised…with some unexpected results! The choice of casting Noah's parents, Lawrence and Dee Riley, proved to be a successful one. Henry Lennix played the role of a austere, iron-hearted father to perfection, while Garcelle Beauvais showcased her mature, supportive and maternal side quite effortlessly. In fact, the casting as a whole was successful, including the choice of Rick Fox (as love interest Matthew Kessler) who has surprisingly demonstrated he can hold his own in front of the camera. The one exception was the role of Noah's roommate Spencer (played by newcomer Syad Mufez Bukhari), whose scenes were not as believable and often snapped me back to the reality that I was watching a movie. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and was not what I expected out of Lifetime! Kudos!

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• Just don't bother

  kimmaree-766262018-09-26

  I only joined up IMBD so I can comment on this movie. It is slow, boring....the main character, Mary, badly acts through this snooze fest. Bad writing, acting and would rather poke pins in my eyes & yours, than ever see this again. And to save you the pain.