DAWN ANNA
US, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Debra Winger, Alex Van, Sam Howard.
Directed by R. Less Howard (Arliss Howard).
Dawn Anna is based on a true story. It focuses on a single mother with four children. They are very agreeable children – and very supportive of their mother. In fact, the film gives something of a glowing picture of potential family relationships, even in difficulties. Dawn Anna is also a very dedicated and an expert teacher.
As the film builds up the story of Dawn Anna as a teacher, getting a new job, she physically collapses. It emerges that she has a very difficult disease, which requires brain surgery. The film then moves into a story about courage in overcoming an illness. She is supported very much by her children as well as a co-teacher, a shy man, who is in love with her. The film is very strong in its portrait of the support that loving family can give to someone trying to recuperate from illness.
For those who don’t know, the film moves to something of a surprise as we discover towards the end that Dawn Anna teaches at Columbine High School in 1999. In fact, the film is the story of a mother of one of the victims of the random shooters at Columbine. The film then focuses sadly on the event itself, the uncertainties of students and parents, the news of the death of a child in the school.
The film was written by Arliss Howard and his brother James Howard (and his son Sam appears as Jason, one of Dawn Anna’s children). Arliss is directing his wife, Debra Winger. Debra Winger gives a fine performance – and had proven herself as a strong actress in the 1980s with such films as An Officer and the Gentleman as well as Terms of Endearment.
The film is inspirational – and is very moving, especially those who know nothing about Dawn Anna’s story and discover what happens in terms of her teaching and family, in terms of her illness and recuperation, in terms of Columbine, step by step.
1.The impact of the film? Based on a true story? A sufficient film with its portrait of Dawn Anna as mother and teacher? Sufficient in its portrait of an illness, support and recuperation? Sufficient in its presentation of the tragedy of Columbine High School and its repercussions? The combined effect?
2.The Colorado settings, homes, schools – ordinary and realistic settings? The musical score?
3.Debra Winger’s performance as Dawn Anna? A strong performance? Dawn Anna as a strong person? Her marriage, her absent husband, the children, their growing up? The details of the household, her getting her children up, meals, shopping, getting them to school? Their discussions and resolution of squabbles? Their support of their mother and her teaching? Dawn Anna as a good teacher, seeing her in action? Her applications for further jobs? Her confidently telling the interviewer that she was the person for the job, and her getting it? Collaborating with staff? Seeing her with her students, her manner of dealing with them, discipline? Her skills – a bright future? Financial support for her children? The volleyball coaching, the discussions? Her meeting Bink? The friendship, going out with him? Falling in love – but his reticence?
4.The collapse, the diagnosis of the illness, the response of the family, of Bink? Her decision about not having brain skull surgery? Her decision about less intrusive procedures? In hospital, the procedures, the aftermath, her having to come to consciousness about her identity, speaking, recognising words, her recovery? The long period, taking her home from hospital, the IV? Bink and his contribution? Her recovery? In the school, the five years passing, her daughter and the volleyball team? Bink and his proposal, her acceptance, the marriage? Idyllic? The revelation about Columbine, her driving to school, hearing the news, concerned about Lauren? The people coming to identify Lauren, the issue of the tattoo? The truth of her death? The funeral? Dawn Anna and her support for children, and the information about her anti-violence stances? A rounded portrait?
5.The children, their relationship with their mother, at ease, in the house, Kristin, her boyfriend (and his calling Dawn Anna by her name and her telling him off)? Josh, his moodiness, photography? Lauren, her devotion to her mother? Matt and his being a stand-by?
6.Bink, the meeting at volleyball, the discussions, his attraction? Living with his mother, shy? Taking Dawn out? The support when she became ill, the family’s wariness, accepting him? His devotion over the years? A good man, his final proposal, her acceptance? His support at the time of Lauren’s death?
7.The background of schools, teaching, excellence in teaching, student response? Dawn’s explanation of why she wanted to be a teacher, looking for those moments when everything clicked for the student?
8.The teachers and their support of Dawn Anna, in her collapse, financial support?
9.Kristin, Shane and his nervousness, the proposal, Dawn accepting him – and allowing him to call her Mother?
10.The medical background, the hospitals, the doctors, the interviews, the recuperation?
11.An interesting film, human interest, its range of subjects?
