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Beyond the Blackboard

Beyond the Blackboard

Family · Drama · 2011

Inspired by a true story, “Beyond the Blackboard” is about a 24-year-old first-time teacher who makes a difference in the lives of the homeless children she teaches in a shelter’s makeshift classroom. Set in 1987 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this movie tells the story a brand-new teacher and Mom who is given a tougher than expected teaching job and winds up teaching homeless children in a school that is housed in a room and called, literally, The School with No Name. She has some personal prejudicial hurdles to cross before she is able to be a true teacher for these children and of course there are hurdles like the lack of books and supplies.

Movie details

Beyond the Blackboard

“A first-time teacher makes a difference in the lives of homeless children”

2011 Family · Drama 1h 40m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.5 / 10

Community rating

Inspired by a true story, “Beyond the Blackboard” is about a 24-year-old first-time teacher who makes a difference in the lives of the homeless children she teaches in a shelter’s makeshift classroom. Set in 1987 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this movie tells the story a brand-new teacher and Mom who is given a tougher than expected teaching job and winds up teaching homeless children in a school that is housed in a room and called, literally, The School with No Name. She has some personal prejudicial hurdles to cross before she is able to be a true teacher for these children and of course there are hurdles like the lack of books and supplies.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Beyond the Blackboard?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jeff Bleckner

Written by

Camille Thomasson

Emily VanCamp

Emily VanCamp

Stacey Bess

Steve Talley

Steve Talley

Greg Bess

Willow Shields

Willow Shields

Grace

Timothy Busfield

Timothy Busfield

School district's HR representative

Julio Oscar Mechoso

Julio Oscar Mechoso

Johnny Hernandez

Nicki Aycox

Nicki Aycox

Candy

Kiersten Warren

Kiersten Warren

Danny's Mom

Court is in session

Put Beyond the Blackboard on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.