Expected more

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Debra Winger proves her mettle once again as she did 26 years ago in the memorable "Terms of Endearment."As always, this is a successful film because it deals with a family that comes together to aid their mother, played fantastically by Winger, who is in the grips of a major illness. The cohesiveness of the family structure was never better than depicted in this film. In addition to the warm, caring relationships, Winger finds happiness with a school associate and marriage pursues.How terrible that one of her children was a victim of the Columbine Massacre. The picture shows how Winger comes to grips with her loss and becomes a crusader against gun violence. A true triumph of the human spirit, this film should not be missed. Endearing as films can be.

First, I would like to say that Debra Winger's performance is superb. Having had a relative undergo brain surgery and then rehab, I know that Ms Winger got it all so right it was almost painful to watch.And the last section was excellent (not in terms of what took place) but it showed what it's like to be a bystander/victim, to be suddenly caught up in events that you can't understand and all you can do is wait and hope. It also showed the shortcomings of live TV, with the reporter repeating the same words over and over again - not conveying any information, just intent on avoiding dead air. The coverage of London subway bombings was the same, with an endless loop of firemen in their HazMat gear and a distant shot of the destroyed bus.So what didn't I like? Well, it's more what wasn't there. I know it's hard making a film about real people who have access to real defamation lawyers if they're so minded. I just couldn't believe that four teenagers and a single mother, living in cramped conditions with limited finances, never once screamed at each other or stomped off and slammed doors or stayed out too late or got drunk or any of the things teenagers do. The five actors playing the children did an excellent job but there was a lack of conflict, thus a lack of drama.And why is the film so coy about the whereabouts of the father (or fathers) of the children? I assume that, if Ms Anna had been widowed, that would have been mentioned, just adding to the tragedy. So either she's divorced (at least once) or she was an unwed mother. Either way, why not tell us? It would just have added to the sense of her courage and stamina that she managed to raise four children on her own.Oh, and the scene where all the people line up to give Ms Anna their sick leave? Maybe it really happened that way but I doubt it. How did all those people take the time off simultaneously to hand over their forms? Who was minding the store?The fact is, ordinary people can be heroes and still be human. Maybe Ms Anna really is as she was portrayed in this film, but the film would have meant more if she and the other characters had been allowed to be, well, human.

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.

I think people saw this movie expecting a Columbine story. The title of the movie is called "Dawn Anna" not "The story of Columbine High School", so I think it's safe to assume that the movie will be about Dawn Anna. Yes, Columbine was mentioned because Dawn Anna's daughter died at Columbine. They aren't going to center the story around it. It's supposed to be about a woman who goes through a life-threatening illness and her youngest child dying and being able to persevere. I thought this movie was heart-felt, and I found it even more touching because I actually know Dawn Anna since she substituted at my middle school one day. The movie is about the strength of an ordinary woman and the importance of her family. Don't see this movie if you're expecting it to be about Columbine, because you will be disappointed.