home room like zero day and elephant and be inspire by the recent wave of school shooting . but unlike the other two film and home room focus on two survivor ( not the shooter or those kill ) in the aftermath of a shooting . make it less exploitive and more useful because little effort be waste in ask question for which there be no answer . don not give up on this little film during the first 20 minute and it be suppose to set up the real story but play like a reject hill street blue episode . it be lame but bear with it and at least it pad the running length enough to get the film classify a a feature . i recommend skip this entirely and just jump ahead to the hospital scene there be nothing here that you can not pick up from the remainder of the film . like a lot of good little film this be creatively a one man show a paul f. ryan be both the writer and the director . while this arrangement do not guarantee a good film and it be usually a good sign because it will mean a certain unity of construction and execution that be often lack in big budget dramatic feature . because the script of home room be it real strength it be fortunate that the writer also execute the production and insure that his vision make it onto the screen . ryan take a huge chance with the end which test the limit of the average viewer sentimentality tolerance . he run it right up to the edge but against all logic leaf you cry instead of cringe . why the end work be some combination of the audience need for a reward at the end of this kind of journey and the song ( sarah mclaughlin sweet surrender ) he go out on and and the amazing editing of the final minute . the other strength of the film be the casting of busy phillips ( alicia ) and erika christensen ( deanna ) a the main protagonist . although phillips play her standard alienate surly teen and christensen her intelligent daughter of a good family and they both bring more intensity to their role than ever before . the family life of both girl be more than satisfactory and of little interest to ryan . what be happen here be all about the two of them despite a lame side story about a police detective wonder around town try to tie alicia to the lone shooter . if they ever re cut and trim the film this side story should be condense . a story about two extremely disparate girl bond and help each other be hardly a novel idea and ryan could have easily steer this film into cliché and predictability . but instead his script have them engage in a fascinating and convince spar match and slowly chip away at each other and share moment of vulnerability and only to retreat back inside themselves . deanna i be die inside line just tear you apart i can not think of a moment in any other film that i felt as intensely a that one . she desperately need a connection that alicia just a desperately resist . deanna only make progress when she retreat . the viewer keep expect the group hug that never seem to happen . ultimately this not only generate a lot of suspense but leave you admire both character and the two actress who bring them to life . then again and what do i know . i be only a child .