Truly Dreadful Film

To me, this movie is perfection.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

4/2/18. Kids, stay in school. No matter how hard it is now, it will be much harder if you drop out and then return to finish up. You have to give credit to people who finally realize how important having an education is, and then, despite overwhelming odds, return to finish high school. The graduation ceremony at the end says it all.

This doc follows 3 adults who dropped out of high school in the youth. They enroll into a night school to get their high school diploma which helps to change their lives forever. The first story follows Greg Henson, a single father of 31 who in his youth made the wrong decision and decided to focus on petty crimes instead of his education, with his criminal past, he struggles to find employment, but he believes a high school diploma can help him in this area.The second story follows Shynika Jakes, a 26 year old girl who is currently homeless and working at a fast food restaurant for minimum wage, however she wants to earn a stable living and hopes to become a nurse.The last story follows Melissa Lewis, a 52 year old woman who just wants to prove to herself that she can achieve something in life. She regrets not completing high school due to bad circumstances and a pregnancy and she is determined to make changes in her life.The documentary shows very real emotion. It takes a very personal look into the life of ordinary people and their struggles in life. It shows that where you live could have a dire consequence on your life. It points at the downside of a capitalist and competitive society. It's a place without much opportunity and support for people who need it. However this school offers hope and opportunity to those who never had it before in their lives. The dedication to staff shows for their students is very heartwarming and inspiring. We get an intimate look into each life which is an very emotional. I teared up a few times! But as the story progresses we see the positive changes that has come about for them due to the help of the night school. Eventually, even through their struggles they all graduate. This documentary sends a good message of hope. Greg has a touching speech at his graduation and it's all about how strength and determination and a purpose can get you where you want to be, no matter how hard your circumstance or the struggle is. And kudos to that great night school who truly help change the lives of people. If you like documentaries this one is definitely for you!

I really enjoyed watching this documentary. Documentaries are my favorite genre of films. Although I love drama, suspense and entertainment, I love learning about real people and real issues happening in our world. I gave the film a 7 star rating, some of it dragged and was a bit non- cohesive at times, but overall, a good story with characters who were engaging. You really want all three of them to make it and go on to lead successful fulfilling lives. It's a feel good movie with a positive optimistic ending. It shows how we all struggle, but that there is hope for a brighter future. * One very minor spoiler. Greg Henson, the single dad who returns to school to get his diploma, has the cutest daughter who comes down with a case of epileptic seizures. Throughout the film, you see him and others smoking cigarettes constantly around his daughter which unfortunately can cause seizures in young children. Of course, the doctors or medical professionals do not mention this link (at least not on film) and so we see the need for education continues....

This has the makings of a good movie, but it's not there yet. The ending, the inevitable graduation ceremony, is moving, but for most of the movie, it's apparently random snippets from the lives of three middle-aged high school dropouts who have decided to go to a high school for adults - as opposed to working toward a GED - in order to get a real high school diploma.The stories of the two women involved are very sympathetic. The man less so, though when he discovers that his young daughter has epilepsy, you certainly feel for her and him as well.All three mouth the expected sentiments, but when it comes to putting them into practice, things become harder for all three.At the very end, the principal of this high school for adults suggests that these students are where they are because public education failed them. For that moment, you might think of *Waiting for Superman*. That is not what the rest of this movie suggests, however. Rather, it is the study of three people who made bad choices when they themselves were only children in high school, and who are now trying to make the right choices to get their lives on track, for themselves and sometimes also for others.The middle drags, at least for me, because there is no direction to much of it. Too many impressionists shots that don't add anything to the story. I guess what it needs is a better editor, but perhaps also more material to work with.The big unanswered question is what difference a high school diploma will make in these three individuals' lives. We get an inkling of that in the end, but in a sense, it would have been better to cut parts of the existing movie that don't add anything to the story and then spend some time on their lives after they graduate. As any un-employed or under-employed high school grad will tell you, a high school diploma is no guarantee of a good job.Still, I would recommend seeing this movie. Though, if I had it to do again, I would have waited until I could rent it. Though it is not long, it seems long when you have to sit through it without a break.