MOVIE REVIEW
Notes from Dad
Originally Titled: Playing Father
Network: Hallmark Channel
Original Air Date: June 15, 2013
*This will be the Fathers Day Movie!
CAST:
Eddie Cibrian ... Clay Allen
Josie Davis ... April Sutton
Alan Thicke ... Pops
Michael Beach ... Manny
Chris Sheffield ... T.J. Harris
Travis Caldwell ... Clay's son
PLOT:
Plot Details from Hallmark:
Clay Allen (Cibrian) never goes anywhere without his trumpet, the instrument that made him a jazz club circuit star. But now, following a divorce and a strained relationship with his college-bound son (Caldwell), Clay takes a surprising new gig as a music teacher at a local disadvantaged high school to pay the bills. Despite a new friendship with the janitor, Manny (Beach), Clay faces the wrath of strict principal April Sutton (Davis) and struggles to teach his underprivileged students who would rather listen to Beyoncé than Basie. His effort seems hopeless until he discovers quiet skateboarder T.J. Harris (Sheffield) riffing on the trumpet after school. Stunned by his talent, Clay enlists him to be the star of the school’s new pep band, hoping to show the school board what the music program is made of at an upcoming concert, and help the failing school stay open.
Clay begins mentoring T.J. in music and in life, forcing himself to face the mistakes he made with his own son. As he slowly begins to reprise his part as dad and direct the band in harmony, T.J.’s rebellious reluctance and broken home life threaten to bring Clay’s hopes to a screeching stop. Will Clay’s attempt at playing father fall flat or will he finally hit the right notes?
Movie Review:
A real and aunthentic movie that honors fatherhood.
This wasn't your typical sugar-coated happy-all-the-time little movie. These characters had depth - issues, problems, wounds.
Inspired by the life of his father, and the hero he was during the Vietnam war, Clay Allen felt compelled to do something with his life that could make a difference; thus, he became a teacher, a music teacher.
As the new teacher, Clay eventually began to open up to his students, mainly T.J. Harris. Clay not only helped T.J., but he learned more about himself, as a father, and how to develop a relationship with his own grown college-age son.
T.J., still wounded by his father, who had abandoned his family, was determined to be nothing like him, except he loved playing the trumpet like his father. Somehow he had to prove to his mother that playing the trumpet didn't make him exactly like him.
It was nice to see how the creation of a school band helped each student in other areas of their lives... whether it was for them to feel special and belong, learning valuable lessons about communication and self-control, being themselves, living up to their potential, and feeling self-worth for doing their best at something they enjoyed.
Plenty of sour notes and setbacks may happen along the way; however, by the end, Clay and his students, will discover just the right notes to make a perfect harmony.
See or Skip:
See.
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