Amber Alert
Synopsis
On January 13, 1996, nine-year-old Amber Hagerman was riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas, when a neighbor heard her scream. The neighbor saw a man pull Amber off her bike, throw her into the front seat of his pickup truck, and drive away at a high rate of speed. The neighbor called police and provided a description of the suspect and his vehicle. Arlington Police and the FBI interviewed other neighbors and searched for the suspect and vehicle. Local radio and television stations covered the story in their regular newscasts. Four days later, Amber's body was found about four miles away. Her kidnapping and murder still remain unsolved.
Following her death in 1996, Dallas–Fort Worth broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system to help find abducted children. In 2003, President George W. Bush signed the Protect Act, which established a national AMBER Alert Coordinator within the U.S. Department of Justice.
THE AMBER ALERT PROGRAM
Named in honor of Amber Hagerman, the AMBER Alert program (which stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) is a partnership between the nation's law enforcement agencies and radio and television stations to activate emergency bulletins to the public when a child is abducted and believed to be in danger. To date, it has helped recover more than 280 missing children since the program began in 1996. To learn more about the AMBER Alert program, visit the website at www.amberalert.gov.
Director
Keoni Waxman
Writer
Richard Leder
Cast
Elisabeth Rohm ... Donna Whitson
Teryl Rothery ... Sharon Timmons
Adrian Hough ...
Myron Natwick ... Glen Park
Sophie Hough ... Amber Hagerman
Jodelle Micah Ferland ... Nichole Taylor Timmons
Tim Henry ... Jimmie Whitson
Greg Michaels ... Detective Griffin
Mitchell Kosterman ... Detective Stevens
Zak Ludwig ... Ricky Hagerman
Karen Austin ... Glenda Whitson
Anthony Holland ... George Redden
Michael Adamthwaite ... Officer Perry
Malcolm Scott ... Detective Cooper
Claude Knowlton ... Detective Davis
James Purcell ... Sgt. Barrone
Dagmar Midcap ... Reporter Ashley Chambers
Rob Morton ... Polygraph Examiner
Rob Wilton ... Hard Man
Trevor Roberts ... Walking Man
Angela Moore ... Medical Examiner
Chris Wild ... Police Chaplain
Adrian Hough ... Congressman Mark Frost
Brenda M. Crichmow ... Linda
Candus Churchill ... Sales Woman
French Tickner ... Senator Hewitt
Marke Driesschen ... Paul Jackson
Wayne Backer ... Tribal Police Chief Fowler
George W. Bush ... Himself (archive footage)
Donna Whitson ... Herself
Special thanks to:
Captain Joe L. Garza
sheriff assistant Larrie L. Waldie
Release date
2006
Did you know that?
Based on a true story. Amber's real mother, Donna Whitson, appears several times in the movie. It was a huge moment when Elisabeth Rohm met her. 2006 marks the 10th anniversary of Amber's death. Filmed in Vancouver, BC Canada.
Review
While writing this review I can't forget that this is a true story and that I have seen in my country many similar Amber Alerts. The tragic story of a little girl and the humble pugnacity of her mother have saved many children's life in the USA and across the world.
The emotion is palpable throughout the movie. Most of the characters were very well chosen, with the exception of the old man caught by the police at the end of the movie. He's the kind of person you suspect at first glance while kidnappers can be anyone.
Elisabeth Rohm portrays a sensible woman, humble and modest, both vulnerable and strong. Even when she is a little disorientated, she never lose sight of her goal. She bends but never breaks. She portrays wonderfully Amber's mother's vulnerability and determination. She shows the many sides of Donna and ultimately you have the same feeling when you see the real Donna, an dignified woman who always refused that Amber was only a simple statistic.
I was very moved by the movie and especially by Elisabeth Rohm's fine performance. She really nailed her character and she touched us straight in the heart each time.
Quotes
(Overview from Lifetime. Amber's story )
 Amber's Story
 Mon Enfant a Disparu
 Alerta Amber
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REGION 4 DVD (English) 
