A Smile as Big as the Moon

2012 "A special education teacher, his class, and their inspiring journey through U.S. space camp."
7.7| 1h35m| PG| en
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Mike Kersjes is a special-education teacher and football coach in Michigan. Mike doesn’t talk down to his "special" students. He respects them, and he believes they’re capable of achieving great things. When Mike hears about Space Camp, a competitive education program at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, he gets an idea. Even though the program is designed for gifted science students, Mike decides participating in the summer program would do wonders for the self-esteem of his young students, one in particular who wants to be an astronaut.

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Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions

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Reviews

Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!
Sharkflei Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.
Kodie Bird True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.
Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.
Desertman84 Well,I have written thousands of reviews at IMDb and have stated that I am a big Moira Kelly fan. When she appeared many movies like "The Cutting Edge", "Chaplin", "Daybreak" and "Twin Peaks" back in the 1990's,she was obviously positioned to become the next Hollywood superstar being extremely talented and very pretty.Too bad that she felt that Hollywood is in contrast to what she is all about and didn't like the staples of Hollywood films - sex and violence -that she decided to leave Los Angeles and instead to do independent films like "Entertaining Angels:The Dorothy Day Story". She still found success on TV being in Aaron Sorkin's "West Wing" for one season and in "One Tree Hill" for five seasons.Now,she is relegated to doing TV movies.I started to search TV movies where she is involved with being a still a big fan of hers and found "A Smile As Big As The Moon" wherein she plays the wife of special education teacher,Mike Kersjes. "A Smile As Big As The Moon" stars John Corbett together with Jessy Schram, Logan Huffman,Moira Kelly, and performers who actually have learning disabilities.It is based on the memoirs of the special education teacher,Mike Kersjes,who has high dreams for his students with learning disabilities. He intends to raise money for his special-ed students to join the NASA space camp which is a program best suited for intellectually gifted and intelligent students. Since it is a TV movie,we get to see the expected predictability that Mike is able to overcome the obstacles such as lack of funds,non-support of the school administration, and the lack of experience that NASA has in accommodating these type of students. But in spite of these things,I found the movie truly touching and memorable. It tries to tell the message of the triumph of the human spirit and respect for individuals despite their limitations. Aside from this great story,I also found the portrayal of John Corbett as Mike Kersjes great especially when it presents his character's determination and persistence in allowing his special education students to dream of big things in their life.Also worthy of recognition is Jessy Schram in the role of Robynn as Mike's co-teacher in a special education class.As for Moira,I found her performance as Mike's wife great as well being supportive of her husband's ambitious project and encouraging her husband through the numerous obstacles that he has to overcome and when trying to suggest things to him with dialogues such as "Genius is keeping things simple".Overall,this was a truly inspiring TV movie that reminds us of the triumph of human spirit and encouragement of people to reach for their goals in spite of their physical and mental impairments or limitations.It was also nice to see Moira Kelly once again and being involved in this type of projects despite being only in a supporting role nor a Hollywood superstar rather than being involved in movies that only shows sex and violence and being a Hollywood superstar at that.
jaynel-20896 I had really looked forward to seeing this movie as i thought the subject matter was great, but I actually hated it - so superficial and banal and ridiculously sentimental and unbelievable. The acting was pretty awful all around but Louise Linton in particular was horrifyingly bad. She was supposedly a counselor for special education students but I thought she was completely unbelievable as an empathetic person. It seemed to me that her image was the most important thing to her and I could almost picture her directing every shot to make sure it highlighted her best profile. I can't believe she calls herself an actress - let's hope we don't see any more of her. Don't waste your time on this piece of fluff.
Maurene I've spent a couple of days trying to figure out how I feel about this movie. I think you'll know from the synopsis if this is your *type* of movie. I found it an interesting story even if the characters were all rather generic types and a little flat. The acting was fine and didn't distract from the story. I found the kids believable and the teachers sympathetic.I wanted the movie to deal in more depth with how the kids were treated at school. As it was written, their treatment was pretty cliché (although it doesn't mean it wasn't accurate). I also wanted more details on special accommodations the kids may have gotten while at camp. And I couldn't help wondering if there wasn't a legal avenue to get special needs children into Space Camp.Overall, I did like the movie. I appreciate that it didn't push too hard for an emotional response.
vchimpanzee In this fact-based Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation, Mike Kersjes is a special education teacher and football coach at Forest Hills Northern High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1988.On a field trip to a planetarium, Mike's easily distracted students start misbehaving and are taken out. The school is informed that the students shouldn't come back. Ben, who has Down's Syndrome, took a bunch of brochures for space camp in Huntsville, Alabama, and once they are back on the bus, he hands them out to the other students, and even after arriving home, Ben wants to go to space camp.It's a crazy idea, but Mike is willing to consider this because he believes such an experience will be good for his kids, who are often told what they can't do and not given chances to prove what they can do. His co-teacher Robynn tries to talk Mike out of it but if Mike is told no, he says he won't pursue it further. Mike is told no and asks to speak to a supervisor. Then he is essentially told no once again but given the option of submitting a proposal. Which he does, despite being told he is out of his mind by Principal Keller. But Ben's father is on the school board and can go over the principal's head.The kids like the idea, and Mike and Robynn travel to Huntsville to meet with Col. Wechsler, who has the final say. Believe it or not, even though Dr. Barnhart has shown the teachers what is involved and tried to discourage Mike from continuing to pursue this, the mission is a go. As long as Mike can raise the $50,000 required to get the kids there. And as long as the kids successfully complete the training required to make sure they can benefit from the experience rather than embarrassing themselves and the school and guaranteeing no other "special" children will get to attend space camp. And as long as the kids don't do anything else to get in trouble so the principal can definitely say no.It's an uphill battle. And many of the other students at the school, including the football players who start feeling their head coach is neglecting them, continue to make fun of these "losers". What they will have to learn to do is what Jackie Robinson learned to do (though he isn't mentioned, this pioneer in baseball had to endure all sorts of abuse without fighting back).These kids are not losers, of course. One man who knows that is Big Dan, who has Ben and one of the other boys working in one of his burger restaurants. He wishes all his employees were as good as they are. And most of the kids have specific talents. Some are even geniuses in their own way but can't function in a normal classroom. They just have to learn to use their strengths and work together.You know if the movie was made, they somehow made it to Huntsville and probably conducted themselves admirably. Sure, there may still be obstacles even there, but so what? They made it, right?Everyone does a good job in this movie. John Corbett carries the movie capably and pushes the children to do their best. Jessy Schram is not merely pretty but a fine assistant in Mike's efforts. Her best scene is the one in Huntsville that apparently makes all the difference. Robynn is from the South and knows how to be charming in the way other Southerners expect.All the young actors with lines do a good job (I seem to recall several kids who didn't have lines but made the trip). Whether the actors are disabled or not I can't say, but either way they all did really well. Any actors who aren't disabled are quite convincing as kids with problems, and all of the kids make us care. And if they are disabled, they have quite a challenge but meet the standard.Logan Huffman is the standout member of the group; Scott is dyslexic but constantly asks to be put in with the "normal" students; he takes tests to prove he can function in regular classes, but eventually stops making fun of the others and starts working with them. And Mike wants him to be a leader, which he doesn't believe he can be. Oh, yes, he can.Space camp is everything it needs to be. It really looks like training for astronauts, and teaches the viewers about the science and the various challenges astronauts face.And all of this can be watched by the whole family. There is some name-calling and minor violence, but nothing objectionable.The term "The Right Stuff" is used here. This movie has that.