Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story

Jami Gertz turned in a dynamite performance in this movie. She played an Ex-Parole Officer turned Part-Time Instructor. She endured skepticism and indifference from members of a high school with students enduring serious social problems in the real world. She gradually earned respect and admiration from the students and the instructors later in the movie. They later visit a state prison -- in which the fathers of many children have been incarcerated for numerous offenses. The plot maintained energy and direction during the movie. She grew a set of balls in this movie. The students endure the roles of what the real world was like upon winning trust from the children. In the end, all but one student graduated from school -- thus looking forward to more productive lives outside the drug-infested world of government housing, gangs, beatings, substandard employment opportunities, and misery of Houston. Way to Go!!

I've not seen nor heard anything about this movie until today, I looked up the summary (below) and here is my assessment without being a movie critic: Being an ex-student at Smiley High School and having family and friends and their children attend Smiley, I can truly say that Smiley High School is not the perfect school but it is no tougher than any other school in Houston. It is not a school in the 'projects' as one commenter stated. To say that 'virtually all the students have at least one parent incarcerated' is bull! ALL THE SCHOOLS IN HOUSTON, OR ANY OTHER CITY/STATE HAVE STUDENTS WHOSE PARENTS HAVE BEEN OR ARE INCARCERATED, WHO'VE BEEN RAPED, ASSAULTED OR WHATEVER AND THAT DOES'NT MAKE THE SCHOOL A TOUGH SCHOOL. IT'S STUDENTS WHO'VE BEEN DEALT A BAD HAND....Wherever! DON'T TRY TO SELL A MOVIE ON PARTIAL TRUTHS! The program is to be commended, it's intent is awesome..to help the students take a different road than their parents, but do not portray the school as a whole of what it is not! There are no more nor less criminals or victims walking the halls of Smiley HS than in any other school in either a poor or rich neighborhood.

IT'S AN INJUSTICE TO OVERLOOK THE HARD WORK BY A GOOD PORTION OF THE STUDENT BODY WHOSE TRYING TO SUCCEED IN SPITE OF THEIR HARD LUCK OR THE LACK OF MONEY BECAUSE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WAS POCKETING IT INSTEAD OF UTILIZING AS IT SHOULD'VE.

MY sister has a written article where the principals, several teachers and students from M.B. Smiley HS were interviewed and they were in total disagreement in how the school and the characters were played out in the movie.

As a victim of rape from my father and his girlfriend I find this movie one of the best movies I have ever seen. I have never seen a movie that helps victims as well as this movie. I watched it and was absolutely inspired to do something good with my life. I was always wanting to become a nurse so I am going to take and become a nurse despite people telling me I couldn't do it. I am going to help kids who are victims. Whether it be of socitey or of some kinds of disease because their parents couldn't take care of them. I hope that anyone watching this movie takes and learns something from this movie. I hope everyone looks at their life and see's something they can change.

Honestly, this movie is beyond inspirational, and to simply say the movie is incredible would be an immense understatement. Jami Gertz' performance is heartfelt and the role was simply just for her. The storyline is very frightening indeed; what I found to be a profound insult to the proposed "No More Victims" program was the beyond negative attitude from the faculty toward the students. The movie portrayed each individual character to the utmost extent, to the point where you could actually feel for the character, and thus, feel for the victim. This movie has become one of my favorites of all time. To say the least, i believe every school in America should have a similar program, or at least use the film as an educational tool. In regards to the statement that Gambrell's character was intrusive and such: who else did the students have in their lives to make a difference? Nobody; everyone believed them to be the pit of society's worst, and frankly, she cared enough. She not only cared, but actually DID something about it, something half of us are too scared to do.

This movie is good. Strong script and well acted. Must see especially if you liked Dangerous Minds. Marilyn Gambrell is an inspiration and strives to make a difference in the community she comes from. Gambrell a former parole officer, and a former co worker, gets involved with the students from Smiley High School. Gambrell a white female, is seen as an outsider and has to earn the respect of the students. Her main focus is on children of parent or parents whom are in jail. She is hoping to break the chain, so future children will not end up in prison. She strives to show each child they are loved and no longer victims. She has started a foundation, No More Victims. Emotional scenes in this movie were portrayed very well. I highly recommend.