whpratt1 Enjoyed viewing this film and the great unity of a family with their mother and each other. There was a bonding between this family no matter what situations they seemed to face and with all the odds against them. All the members in this film showed they all had a purpose driven life and a great will to live. One sister enjoyed watching nature in all forms of life, hawk, young baby chic and dreamed of flying through the air in her dreams. This film was well directed and very down to earth about what life is really all about. Debra Winger,(Dawn Anna Townsend),"An Officer & Gentlemen",'82, put her heart and soul into her acting as she always has in her film career. There was very joyous scenes in this film and also very bitter and heart breaking ones. Great film, with all great actors.

MarieGabrielle This movie was shown on Lifetime, and is well worth it; the family is very realistic, the story is, as we know, tragic, but the message is hopeful as it is seen from Dawn Anna's perspective. Debra Winger is excellent, and understated, as well as the ensemble cast.We learn of Dawn Anna's medical illness, and struggle to support her children as a single mom. There is, however no trite and superficial dialog; (think Desperate Housewives melodrama). This is normally hard to find on Lifetime, which primarily portrays women as victims,and one-dimensional characters.The story is well acted, and portrays the family very well, but the ending is somewhat of a surprise, and we do not see any foreshadowing of problems at the high school.I would have liked more depth, (i.e. The cable movie "Bang, bang! You're Dead") since this topic is so important, and relevant to problems in American society, the audience is entitled to some theory or detail from the writer, as to events which led up to the Columbine killings.This is a very human story, and it was helpful to portray the life of Dawn Anna's family; but I think there is also a bigger picture which we need to know about, and this could have been written into the story without concentrating solely on the perpetrators, or victims.

chrisboelens2000 This movie was one of the best I have seen in a long time. The performance by the cast was great. Debra Winger gives the performance of her life and tells all to keep trying when things don't work out. This movie had me crying by the end. Liftime has choose a winner on this one. I hope that they can set the bar for movies that help change peoples point of view and make us all be thankful for what we have. thank you to the writers directors and producers of this fantastic movie. Also i hope that i see Debra Winger in more movies she is one of the best actresses i have ever seen on the screen. She has a way of making me feel exactly what she is feeling. Thanks again!!!!!!!!

ENIGMA05 This heroic story is about a single mother with four kids that is threatened with a brain tumor and survives a dangerous operation and side effects only to lose her youngest child in the Columbine High School Massacre.Any normal person faced with such incredible odds would just crumble under its weight or give up. But Dawn Anna isn't just any normal person. She is an extraordinary person. Debra Winger (Dawn Anna) delivers a performance so amazing you feel as if you were right there with her while she was going through all these trying and horrible times. This mother took her daughters murder and turned it into a fight for gun control. She didn't just hide away and let this unthinkable crime leave her hopeless. On the contrary, she is one of the most formidable pioneers for any cause of our time.If this movie teaches anything, that is that even when the fates deal a cruel blow (or two), the nature of a woman, a mother, a fighter, is to never give up. To continue to live, so that the legacy her daughter left behind lives on forever.My Rating for this film: 10 (EXCELLENT)