Product Description

A young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance apply themselves & pursue education beyond high school. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 01/27/2009 Starring: Hilary Swank Scott Glenn Run time: 122 minutes Rating: Pg13

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2882 in DVD
• Brand: Paramount
• Released on: 2007-04-17
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 122 minutes

Amazon.com
Though the "inspirational teacher" theme may feel done to death, Freedom Writers succeeds because it emphasizes the students as much as the teacher. Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby, Boys Don't Cry) comes to a southern California high school bubbling over with naive optimism, but quickly discovers that her unruly classroom isn't easily won over by her good intentions. After a few floundering attempts to connect with her students, Gruwell gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives--an assignment that the class bites into with relish, which eventually bonds them together and pushes racial rivalries aside. This plotline has been made before, sometimes well, sometimes poorly; Freedom Writers, by drawing heavily from the published journals of the students--and thanks to a (mostly) unheroic script, direction that emphasizes individual characters over stereotypes, and rigorous performances from the whole cast--makes the story seem fresh and genuine. Swank does solid work, but the standouts are April L. Hernandez as a girl whose gang wants her to lie and send an innocent boy to jail and Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) as a teacher who resents Gruwell's offbeat success. Also featuring Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy), Scott Glenn (The Right Stuff), and a plethora of strong young actors. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Freedom Writers

More Inspirational Teacher Films on DVD

The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell

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Customer Reviews

excellent
We were both quite surprised to find this movie so well directed acted and moving in every way. The subject matter could have been filled with annoying cliches and stereotypes.
Highly recommended.

a noble cause, yes.....(1.5 stars)
A noble cause, yes; this is a story that had to be told. But it also had to be told in an effective way, which is what this movie tried to be, effective. The problem is: IT TRIES WAY TOO HARD. Throughout the entire movie, you're hit with images, and direction choices that really seem forced to be powerful. The only truly powerful moments, the trip to the Holocaust museum and the arrival of Miep Gies(two scenes that are nearly tear-jerking), are overshadowed by everything that isn't powerful in this two-hour soap opera.

As an added note, these characters have forgetfulness issues, so it seems. Swank's character went through a horrible divorce, one scene shows with her crying about it, and for the rest of the movie, it seems like it never happened. A similar thing occurred with the character of Eva, with her supposed alienation and hatred put upon her my her Latino community, often seems like it's not happening. With these characters, the second this teacher comes with her notebooks, it seems that their problems are instantly cured.

And plus, what about Swank's other 5 class periods?

wonderfully inspiring
If you liked *Stand by Me* and *Dangerous Minds*, then you'll love *Freedom Writers*. This movie is about a teacher, Erin Gruwell, new and naive, determined to make a difference in the lives of her students. Immediately, she faces scorns from her jaded peers who have been teaching for years. Meanwhile, we, as viewers, see different scenarios that students face in and outside of the classroom.

Gruwell's persistance pays off...but with a price. Her marriage has dissolved. She's alienated from her colleagues. However, her reaped reward is when students start to share their personal journals, chronicling their gritty lives with her, as well as giving her respect.

*Freedom Writers* is inspiring. You'll laugh, cry, gasp and be in awe in the beauty of it all.