Educational Media Reviews Online

Lewistown, located in central Pennsylvania, faces the same slow demise as many industrial towns hit hard in the 1970's and 1980's as blue collar jobs were sent overseas. For the past generation, the town has subsequently lost jobs and is slowly deteriorating. Downtown Dream focuses on five Lewistown residents, some of whom are trying to make things better and one who is looking to leave for a better life.

One of the strengths of the film is the diversity of solutions offered. Jon Zimmerman tries to raise funds for restoring a central park while the Reverend Bernard Carpenter speaks out against those plans, arguing that bringing new business into town is more important than a beautification project. Zimmerman wants to revive the past whereas Reverend Bernard is looking for a future.

Meanwhile, Pam buys a foreclosed property and converts it into a beauty salon in hopes that her business will spur economic development. High school student Katie and her mother are the key personalities in the final thread that follows Katie's acting and singing ambitions which eventually lead her out of Lewistown.

To its credit, Downtown Dream concerns itself more with these personal stories than with the practicalities of the proposed solutions. The ending suggests that things are improving but is also open-ended enough to facilitate discussion. At 45 minutes, Downtown Dream covers a lot of ground. Even with shared screen time, all of the main personalities are vividly depicted and engaging.

Although Downtown Dream provides a clear example of the effects globalization can have on a small town, it doesn't introduce anything new or particularly insightful. It would serve as a good introduction for anyone not familiar with the issues.