Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story

Sometimes TV movies out do themselves, this is one such.

A truly inspiring true story, is almost unbelievable. I believe that the protagonist will go on to do great things, I am sure she will make a great mark in society and that we will hear from her again: perhaps the source of a sequel! To come from such a background to excelling so impressively is an inspiration, the sort of movie that could be used as a motivation tool.

The production values and the acting - particularly that of Thora Birch - are very impressive.

I would recommend this movie to all.

I was really moved by this story, even more so when I realised it was based on a true story! I thought that Thora's acting as Liz was really great and she had me routing for Liz to pull through and make it.

It was really inspiring (so much so that I wrote a song straight after watching it!) and it teaches that you should never give up on yourself. OK, so Liz made it to Harvard and not everyone will be that lucky, but Harvard isn't for everyone and the message is really to set yourself a goal that you think you just might be able to attain and then go for it!

It was a shame that UK television saw fit not to put it on at a reasonable time as it was aired late on Monday night and finished after 1:00am. I really only caught it by chance, but was very glad that I did.

Thora Birch is Liz, a young woman who grows up in a poor household where both parents are excessive drug addicts. She's a genius but she refuses to go to school because she doesn't know how to interact with her peers (she's intellectually superior to them).

When her mother leaves to live with her sexually abusive grandfather, Liz tries to live there but runs away after an argument with him. She lives on the street, and in a group home. She stays at friends' houses from time to time. She discovers what hardship really is.

After her mother dies from AIDS (which she acquired from drug use), Liz wakes up, and realizes her potential. She also realizes that she doesn't want to be homeless anymore, and that she wants to move on to a civilized lifestyle. So she goes to school. She is in gifted classes and she finishes High School in two years. She also receives a scholarship to Harvard, from the New Yor times for an essay she wrote about overcoming obstacles to get to her success.

The movie is very inspiring one of the best Lifetime movies created. Thora Birch proves that she is one of the best younger actresses today. Her powerful performance is very much deserving of an Emmy Award.

I had only seen Thora Birch in "Ghost World" (where she was also quite good) and so felt she deserved credit for this TV movie which was based on a true story.

Kelly Lynch and Michael Riley portray Liz Murray's parents who are both drug addicts living in squalor in a NYC apartment. I am not certain why Lynch often gets these roles. In "The Jacket" she had a similar role, but she is nonetheless believable.

Liz Murray attends school, and while being an excellent student, has difficulty with her emotions, sadness, and unstable home life. Eventually her mother contracts AIDS, and must either live with her father, or some form of assisted living. Murray apparently managed on her own. She studies hard, takes AP college courses, and sleeps overnight in abandoned subway cars. (Anyone who has seen the NY city subway system know this is no small feat).

Birch is believable, and looks the part; with all the odds against her she does well, graduates high school, and is offered a scholarship to Harvard. The fact that this is a true story is positive, it is nice to see a movie with a decent message for kids with real reasons why they should stay in school. 9/10.

One of the few movies I've seen that truly talks about the problems that many societies around the globe are suffering from. It also goes to show you how far you can go if you are determined on something. So, you can really make a change if you put your mind into it. And it goes to show you that there is always hope for a better tomorrow. You just have to work hard for it. We all face problems of various degrees. But whatever the problem may be, we can face it with strong belief and strong will. Be someone and make your life and all the world around you a better place. I loved the movie, the story, the music, and, on top of all, the performance of Thora Birch. In my opinion, it is a must see.