Plot: What’s it about?
Liz Murray (Thora Birch) has not had a smooth life, even as a young child she faced personal challenges of all kinds. Her parents were kind and loving, but Liz endured their battles with drug addiction, which limited them as parents. So Liz raised herself to an extent, since they were often unable to fulfill their obligations to her. When she is fifteen, her life takes another turn for the worse and she is rendered homeless. This kind of shock would send most people into a tailspin, but even at only fifteen, Liz is determined not to let this ruin her life. The hardships of her past have shown her that she is strong and able overcome, which is she is sure she can do once more. But tragic moments remain ahead of her also and when another one strikes down, Liz decides the time has come to take action. Although her education is limited to a few scant classes, she dedicates herself to finishing out her high school career. She knows the road will be tough, but she is determined and her plans don’t end at her high school graduation. No, she wants to go on to college as well and make a better life for herself. When her class goes to Harvard on a field trip, Liz is convinced she should put in her application. But is this just a wild dream on her part, or could she make the transition from homeless to Harvard?
The roster of cable channels is loaded with specific channels, like The Sci/Fi Channel, The Cartoon Network, and of course, Lifetime. The estrogen fueled Lifetime has been a cable staple for a long while now, offering talk shows, reality shows, and old sitcom favorites, but the channel is best known for its line of Lifetime Original Movies. These films have become the afterschool special of this modern age, an even mixture of cautionary tales and warm, fuzzy tales. So some of the movies make us cry, while others make us cry, then be overcome with hope and happiness. Now Lifetime has its own DVD label, so those original movies can be seen at will. Homeless to Harvard is one of the first offerings and is a warm, fuzzy movie. Based on a true story, of course Homeless to Harvard tries to teach us numerous lessons about stereotypes, hope against all odds, life in general, and even a little about ourselves. Thora Birch hands in a solid lead performance, but the film fails to generate enough spark to warrant much attention. As with most Lifetime Original Movies, there is some camp value, but not enough to watch a second time around. But if you’re in Lifetime’s target demographic and didn’t see this on television, you might want to watch. I am glad to see Lifetime issue some of its movies, but let’s hope for some older movies to see the light, as Lifetime has some almost camp classics in the archives I’d love to see again.
Video: How does it look?
Homeless to Harvard is presented in full frame, as intended. This looks much it would have on television, just a little sharper and more defined. I noticed some mild compression errors here and there, though I don’t think this will serve to distract from the movie. The colors look bright and never become oversaturated, while flesh tones appear natural and consistent at all times. I saw no problems with the contrast either, as shadows seemed complex and detail is high and rich. This was just broadcast in 2003, so with a DVD release one year later, you’d expect a good visual treatment and that is the case here.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release uses the original stereo mix, which means the sound is adequate but lacks punch of any kind. The music comes through quite well though and sounds rich and well placed within the mix. When effects do emerge they sound good, but without the full surround format they seem hollow and limited. The dialogue sounds terrific though and shows no volume or separation inconsistencies. This is a movie from Lifetime after all, so if you were expecting any kind of dynamic audio, please pass over whatever you’re smoking, ok? This disc also includes a Spanish language track, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The lone supplement here is an interview with the real Liz Murray, which helps put a real face on the events from the movie.
