Born Into Exile (1997 TV Movie) User Reviews (14)

High School Teens Should See This

[oliverpenn · 8/10 · 30 April 2005]

Another movie about kids that run away from home! They seem to be all alike. These films should be shown in high school to kids, who might be thinking of "getting out" from under their parents' rule.

As someone else said, "it's a hard world out there." Kids arrive in New York, Los Angeles and every other big city, thinking that they can "make it." When the money runs out, prostitution seems to be the only solution to get money. There's always horny men out there with dirty minds (and money) willing to corrupt the helpless young.

With the way that "Chris" broke down about his hustling experience, he must have done something heavier than engaging in oral sex. Sounds like some dude "turned him out." You don't have much choice when you have NO MONEY and a guy orders you to, "turn over." The movie was as good as most of these are. Usually, it's about a girl who gets involved with an older man who seizes the opportunity to make money by turning her into a prostitute. The male version of this is rarely told. John Rechy's book, CITY OF NIGHT, did a fine job of educating young, hopeful guys who hit New York with $75 in their jeans. All I can say is "thank God I read his book before I came to the Big Apple." I saved for three years before I stepped on the train and traveled East to live in Gotham. The hardcore pimps saw this angel and pounced, but it didn't work with me. I had OTHER plans.

I hope that schools will play this film, "Born Into Exhile" and others like "Off The Minnesota Strip" for teenagers. It might help to keep them at home and off the streets.

Best romance about youths love that I have ever seen.

[natalia1818 · 10/10 · 28 December 2001]

I saw this movie yesterday.It's one of the best love stories ever. Except a beautiful romance it touches a big problem of home-running and I think all parents should see it.It shows how important is listening to the children.If her mother easily talked to her she would never run away.

A film that I can't stop thinking about... even many years later!

[blue_skye01 · 28 August 2001]

This was one of the most memorable films I've ever seen. It was such a dramatic, real-life story told about two lost youths. They were trying to find their place in life, but ran into difficulties along the way that made them the best of friends. I saw this film years ago and I still can't get it out of my head, and neither would you!

a good dose of reality

[AndreaPomMom · 5/10 · 19 January 2003]

In response to Guil Fisher's opinion listed here, maybe some teens watching this show need the good dose of reality that is displayed in this film. It may prevent some (who watch it) from running away and thinking that they can make it on their own. You wouldn't want the producers of this show to project an image that they can make it on their own and be fine, would you? That doesn't make much sense because it's not realistic. It's a rough world out there, especially for teens with no jobs who are living on their own.

Okay, just wanted to give my point of view. Thanks for listening :)

A REAL love story

[Kiri · 9/10 · 4 March 1999]

This movie showed all aspects of a young couple, Holly and Chris, forced to run away together to LA, and live on the streets where they encounter prostitution, drugs and the hard side of life. Meanwhile Holly's mother is trying to find them and come to terms with how she will handle the situation without losing her daughter. A great movie that doesn't cut the unpleasantries of living on the streets and the importance of having someone to love.

You can't always just "get a job".

[idramaqueeni · 5/10 · 15 September 2005]

In response to Guil Fisher's comment, I just wanted to point out that young people in this situation cannot always get a "normal" job so easily. They have no address, no personal information that they can reveal and fake names. I mean, sure, places that need people to wash dishes may not always really care about who is working for them and whether it is legitimate or not, but a lot of places do. It's not always that simple to just "get a job", and even if they found one, what kind of money would they be making? Not much. I'm not trying to say that prostitution or drug dealing should be excused or the answer to everything, but that is why it's done. Because kids have no other options.

WHAT A GREAT MOVIE!!!

[joeykat78 · 10/10 · 21 September 2001]

I just fell in love with this movie!! It is one of the greatest made for Tv movies that i have ever seen. I recently got to see it on Lifetime, unfortunetly i did not catch the beginning. I have been waiting hopelessly to catch it on Tv again so i can tape it. I have searched the internet high and low to find it available on vhs, but have had no luck. This is just a great movie..I laughed,I cried, i just really enjoyed this film..eveyone should see it, they will fall in love with it as much as i did.

Born loser!

[guil12 · 1/10 · 27 October 2001]

I disliked this film very much. I sat thru it to the bitter end hoping there would be something to like about it, but, alas, no such thing. What drivel. 2 young people, old enough, in this viewers mind, to know better, and given every opportunity to come to their senses about GETTING A JOB! It's a wonder that neither of them thought about that. They had to go thru prostitution, stealing and pushing dope too many times before they realized it wasn't for them. The girl [not well played by Gina Philips] drags her boyfriend thru the mud to please her. To me, she needed a good thrashing for being so selfish. The guy [much better played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar] went thru hell for her only to finally have to become a male whore to older men to get money to get them home. And home meant his parents who disowned him and her overbearing mother [played by Talia Shire looking like a shrew] who was attempting to have the boy arrested and her daughter picked up, brought no sympathy to the situation. By the time everybody comes to their senses, it's all too late. So who's the winner here? Even more so, who's the loser? What is this movie saying to us? I really had to view this opinion because here's a tragic situation, still happening in this day and age. So, instead of giving us some kind of resolution, we are forced to see only the horror of it's outcome. So, tell me, how does this help the problem of today's runaways? Come on, give us some answers. I thought films were supposed to be provocative in their messages. This spelled silly and one level. With the exception of Gosselaar's performance, I found this an uninspiring film.

amazing

[yucasta · 10/10 · 24 December 1999]

well, i saw it like yesturday night, and i know its an old movie, but i just loved it so much, i cried, smiled, and just fell totaly inlove with Cris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), anyway, you gotta see it, but alone, so you can cry and get in it, as much as you want!!! i donno if its just me and how movies just effect me, but i love those kinds of movies, defently worth seeing!!!!!!!!!

An amazing movie

[Steph12560 · 10/10 · 7 July 2003]

Born Into Exile is a great movie And Chris And Holly are a great couple.It was a great made for television movie.All in all,I give it a 10 out of 10 And it is a movie that I can't stop thinking about.

I Thought I was the only person who saw this....and liked it!!

[PJTony · 9/10 · 1 June 2000]

I don't think I've seen this movie in like 3 years, when it debuted on TV. But its a movie that I havent forgotten. I remember feeling so depressed at one point during this movie and then happy the next. One of the better TV movies I've seen. I only wish I could see it again.

Love Without Money Does Not Work!

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 1 December 2004]

This is a very excellent film for all young gals and guys who feel they are deeply in LOVE and cannot do without each other and just Plain elope and run around until their money runs out. Mark Paul Gosselaar,(Chris),"NYPD Blue",TV Series'93, looks very young in this film and gives a great performance as a love sick guy who falls madly in love with Gina Philips,(Holly Nolan),"The Woodsman",'04. This couple run into all kinds of problems with a truck driver who wants sex in the worst way and there are scenes where this young couple have to sleep in a FLOP HOUSE in LA! This film clearly shows that falling in love and running away from your families that love you will only cause great harm to everyone involved.

There ARE NO FREE HAND OUTS!!!

I loved this movie!!

[ac_aka_analaura · 10/10 · 17 June 2005]

Yes it may be cheesy and overdone but it made me ball most of the time. The sensitivity of the acting and characters was amazing. I wish to one day own this movie and have it in my permanent movie collection. The movie had so many moments that had you hoping the best for these two young people. Born Into Exile came out at a time when TV movies were starting to really show what young people were thinking and feeling and I watched them all and enjoyed most of them. There was Dying to Belong also and She cried No and there were many more that I wish that I could add to my movie collection. The thing is that now any TV movie that comes out you can probably get it in stores but back than it didn't happen as much but I hope it does soon.

This is a surprisingly really good movie.

[smbius · 9/10 · 5 September 2005]

I don't watch a lot of TV...especially TV movies from the Lifetime Network. However, when I caught this movie with only a few minutes into it, I felt compelled to watch it. I'm usually very skeptical of TV movies but this one had a very interesting story to it. It was captivating. Of course, it doesn't have the clearness and clarity it has that are expected of professional A+ movies but the writing, story and acting was more than strong enough to keep me watching. I ended up putting things down just to check out the rest of the movie. Gina Phillips and Save by the Bell's Mark Paul Gosselaar work well together on screen. Gosselaar knows how to act desperate. The movie teaches how desperation and evil can collide. The movie is also well directed and makes a point on survival as well. Aside from the commercials, the pacing of the movie was well done. Much like other Lifetime Network movies, you'll see some familiar faces. It's a great overall movie i'm hoping to see on DVD one day.

radford castro radcastro.com