Homeless to Harvard - The Liz Murray Story

Starring:Thora Birch, Michael Riley, Robert Bockstael, Makyla Smith, Kelly Lynch, Jennifer Pisana, Aron Tager, Ellen Page, Marla McLean, Marguerite McNeil, Amber Godfrey, Seamus Morrison, John Fulton, Rejean Cournoyer, Mauralea Austin, Kristine Slawter, Mary Colin Chisolm, Stan Carew, Cecil Wright, Deb Allen
Director: Peter Levin
Studio: Lifetime
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Thora Birch (American Beauty) is Liz Murray: homeless at 15, Harvard undergrad at 19. Based on a true story, the Lifetime movie begins when her mother, Jean (Kelly Lynch), a schizophrenic with a substance abuse problem, is placed in a mental institution. Liz and her sister are left with their father, Peter, who is also a drug addict. When Jean returns two years later, she's clean, but has AIDS (and will soon start drinking again). When Peter falls behind on the rent, they lose their apartment. He moves into a shelter, the rest move in with Jean's abusive father. Liz hits the streets soon afterwards. Once on her own, she gets serious about her studies and her hard work eventually pays off. Homeless to Harvard earned three Emmy nominations, including one for Birch, while Lynch (Drugstore Cowboy) is just as believable as her kindhearted mess of a mother. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Description
Liz Murray was raised in poverty by drug-addicted parents. Though they loved her, they were unable to care for her and Liz ended up living on the streets by the age of 15. Profoundly affected by her mother's AIDS-related death, Liz forced herself to look at her future and make some significant changes. Her prospects were dismal, yet she turned her life around by going back to high school. After earning her diploma in just two years, while still homeless, Liz won a New York Times scholarship for needy students, which enabled her to attend Harvard University.

DVD Features:
Interviews:Interview with the real Liz Murray
Other:Inspirational message from Liz Murray

Homeless to Harvard - The Liz Murray Story

Average customer rating:

Phenomenal!
Strength and perseverance
Strength
An immeasurably uplifting story !
uplifting

Homeless to Harvard - The Liz Murray Story
Starring: Thora Birch , Michael Riley , Robert Bockstael , Makyla Smith , and Kelly Lynch
Director: Peter Levin
Manufacturer: Lifetime
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0002J4ZZU
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com

Thora Birch (American Beauty) is Liz Murray: homeless at 15, Harvard undergrad at 19. Based on a true story, the Lifetime movie begins when her mother, Jean (Kelly Lynch), a schizophrenic with a substance abuse problem, is placed in a mental institution. Liz and her sister are left with their father, Peter, who is also a drug addict. When Jean returns two years later, she's clean, but has AIDS (and will soon start drinking again). When Peter falls behind on the rent, they lose their apartment. He moves into a shelter, the rest move in with Jean's abusive father. Liz hits the streets soon afterwards. Once on her own, she gets serious about her studies and her hard work eventually pays off. Homeless to Harvard earned three Emmy nominations, including one for Birch, while Lynch (Drugstore Cowboy) is just as believable as her kindhearted mess of a mother. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

Liz Murray was raised in poverty by drug-addicted parents. Though they loved her, they were unable to care for her and Liz ended up living on the streets by the age of 15. Profoundly affected by her mother's AIDS-related death, Liz forced herself to look at her future and make some significant changes. Her prospects were dismal, yet she turned her life around by going back to high school. After earning her diploma in just two years, while still homeless, Liz won a New York Times scholarship for needy students, which enabled her to attend Harvard University.

DVD Features:
Interviews:Interview with the real Liz Murray
Other:Inspirational message from Liz Murray

Customer Reviews:

Phenomenal!.......2007-06-19

This is one of the most inspirational and truly miraculous stories I have ever heard. The story is very well portrayed by the actors in this film. It was also very well produced and I felt as though each scene gave a vivid interpretation of the factual events. This is one of the most outstanding films I have ever seen and I highly recommend it.

Strength and perseverance.......2006-10-30

This is a good movie. Thora Birch is convincing. The story is incredible. Sometimes it is a little slow but it's worth the time one takes to see it. It's inspirational.

Strength.......2006-08-04

I switched on the television to catch the initial third of the film, 'Homeless to Harvard'. I could not move after that, because I felt that what the protagonist of the story was so fascinating in, was her moving in a simple kind of way in a complicated pattern of life, in a simple world of her own, yet knowing only the kind of homes she did, of extreme poverty. Underneath the simple story told, there were these other layers of life, and of 'connections'.
After the end of the film, I went into the web to try and locate more information on Liz Murray. I found mountainloads of material: a whole range, in fact. I wrote to Amazon.com, and within minutes, I received a reply (presumably, from some machine-operated response, but it still didn't stop me from being impressed, since I live on the other side of the world, to get that rapidity of reply - the marvels of science)to say that my order for the Liz Murray story on DVD had been noted, and would arrive within the next fortnight. It did - just a few days later. Most impressive, this efficiency.
Since then, I have watched the film twice, and taken my own time to finish it at my own speed. I am someone who has stopped teaching, on early retirement, as a result of poor health. Had I still been at school, I would have taken my personal DVD with me to class, for anaylysis and discussion.
However, when one looks at 'Homeless to Harvard', one could also be looking at not only the disadvantaged in Asian cities, but those with greater problems not only here, but elsewhere as well. That wherever there are these ravages of war for example, other or similar kinds of difficulties run parallel. In that sense, the children at these places are always far worse. Comparisons are invariably impossible. Unfair as well.
I have mentioned this DVD to some friends, and what Amazon.com. had done for me! Actually, some friends had mentioned its world-wide services before, but I had not acted on the knowledge. This has been an eye opener, mainly for the obvious positive points of the message of the film, especially for people who do not have much, or might be disadvantaged. The comparisons or comments might also be made by other people, and it is through the acting of the actress and related people in the cast.
The only part I was not so sure of, was in the conclusion, I didn't feel that it fit well into the rest of the film. That was my personal reaction to it. One presumes that some of the quotations from the film were taken from Liz Murray? I wonder if the film could have ended with one of her quotations.

Zheng Shuying
Singapore

An immeasurably uplifting story ! .......2006-05-04

I've always been inclined to see motivational movies -- Patch Adams, The Big fish, Good Will Hunting, etc, but this just went over my expectations. A jewel, now one of my favorites. I'm happy to its addition to my collection of films. Thanks to Liz Murray for sharing her life with us.

uplifting.......2006-02-15

Can you believe I just saw this movie. I had the pleasure of listening to Liz Murray at an AWHONN convention. It's not even that she is a seasoned speaker...she told her story. I instantly was drawn to her. If you think you have problems...well you can hardly believe someone could overcome all that she has. I left that convention with a whole different attitude about life. I can hardly wait for my girls to watch it, because all I have done is talk about her.

Life Time (14 Pack) Baby for Sale / Comfort and Joy / Confessions of an American Bride / Gracie's Choice / Homeless to Harvard / The Liz Murray Story / I Do (But I Don't) / Obsessed / Sex and the Single Mom / She's Too Young / The Plain Truth / Widow on the Hill / Lies My Mother Told Me / Murder in the Hamptons / Ambulance Girl / Mom at Sixteen / Too Young to Be a Dad

Average customer rating:

Life Time (14 Pack) Baby for Sale / Comfort and Joy / Confessions of an American Bride / Gracie's Choice / Homeless to Harvard / The Liz Murray Story / I Do (But I Don't) / Obsessed / Sex and the Single Mom / She's Too Young / The Plain Truth / Widow on the Hill / Lies My Mother Told Me / Murder in the Hamptons / Ambulance Girl / Mom at Sixteen / Too Young to Be a Dad

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Product Description

Life Time Original Movie - Plain Truth, A Look at Plain Truth with the Cast and Crew - Additional Scene Life Time Original Movie - Baby For Sale , A Look at Baby for Sale with the Cast and Crew - Addtional Scene Life Time Original Movie - She's too young , A Look at She's Too Young with Cast and Crew Life Time Original Movie - I do (but I Don't) , A Look at I do (But I don't) with Cst and Crew - Additional Scene Life Time Original Movie - Homeless to Harvard , Interview with LIZ Murray Life Time - Murder in the Hamptons -,Special Features: A look at Murder In The Humptons With The Cast And Crew Life Time - Sex And The Single Mom,Special Features: A Look At Sex And The Single Mom With The Cast And Crew Life Time - Gracie's Choice ,Special Features: A Look at Gracie's Choice with the Cast and Crew Life Time - Confessions of an American Bride, Special Features: A Look at Confessions of an American Bride with the Cast and Crew - Additional Scenes Life Time - Comfort and Joy -,DVD Bonus: Cast and Filmmaker Interviews Life Time - Obsessed ,Special Features: Behind-The-Scenes Interviews Life Time - Widow on the Hill / Lies My Mother Told Me ,-Special Features: - A Look at Widow on the Hill with the cast and Crew - A Look at Lies My Mother Told Me with the Cast and Crew - Addtional Scenes on Both Life time - Ambulance GirlLife time 2 disc double feature (Mom at Sixteen / Too Young to Be a Dad),Special Features: A Look at Man at Sixteen with Cast and Crew

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