An emotional picture that benefits from the extremely powerful performances of its stars.

In the midst of this didactic, self-conscious movie about a high school shooting comes an extraordinary and intense performance by a young actress named Busy Philipps, which elevates the whole picture.

Distinguishes itself from other such projects by dealing less with the event itself than its devastating aftershocks.

Too often crosses the line between good melodrama and rank cliché.

Ryan's heart is definitely in the right place and his film has good performances and flashes of talent. But, overall, it plays like the world's longest — over two hours -- after-school special.

The lead performances of Home Room go a long way toward camouflaging the severe flaws of this exceedingly earnest movie.

There are moments of real power here -- mostly courtesy of Phillips ("Dawson's Creek"), who does a remarkable job of turning her caricature into a character -- but even more of astounding naiveté.

Feels like detention -- without the possibility of recess.

Home Room is badly acted and, running well over two hours, often mind-numbingly ponderous. Depressed rather than hysterical, it's in every way less clever and more literal-minded than "Zero Day."