Visitors Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum (2012-05-25 04:41)

Square, sincere, and proud of it.

earthinspace (2012-05-24 16:58)

It's a point of view, not 'a message from heaven'

This movie does not try to solve every problem or tie up every looseend, yet it raises emotional truths very well. On a side note: Onestudent said,"I hate white people" because the white policemen hadarrested her father. Is that how most people obtain their socialconscience -- by a little thinking and a lot of anger? Maybe. And gradeschool is a chance to think a little more. And with leadership from theteacher, the students in this movie were gradually developing theirthinking skills...not just re-arranging their biases. So many thingswere left unsaid in the movie. That is okay. There are powerful thingsto be said about "white people" (if there is such a group) in socialjustice debates. The "9" was deserved for portraying a plausibleepisode when students began the road to true justice. Some of themethods might come right thru the screen and do some good.

Rick Groen (2012-05-23 18:01)

Freedom Writers is a tribute to individualism wrapped in the most conformist of packages, one of those pictures where the message of the tale is flatly contradicted by the manner of the telling.

Nathan Rabin (2012-05-23 03:46)

Thanks to LaGravenese's empathetic writing and direction, and Swank's titanic force of will, Freedom Writers' unabashed earnestness proves unexpectedly powerful.

TxMike (2012-05-23 12:18)

Based on the real Long Beach Freedom Writers of the mid-90s.

I really enjoyed this movie. The title is an inspiration of the FreedomRiders that traveled through he USA in the 1960s to protest segregationand suffered for the bigger good of all. The teacher and characters areall taken from these students at a Long Beach high school. The teacherwas new and ideal, the students were hardened, mostly gang members, andeducators had given up on them.Hilary Swank is Erin Gruwell, the new teacher. Getting little supportfrom the school itself, she took part time jobs to buy the studentsbooks, take them on weekend field trips, and have them start writingtheir own journals, inspired by the Diary of Anne Frank. Eventuallythey all wrote letters to the Austrian lady, still alive, who hadhidden Anne Frank, and raised enough money to have her fly to meettheir class.The point of the movie is to show that in spite of the difficulties youhappen to be in, you still have choices, and you can choose to acceptothers with differences, and choose a different path for your life.Good story, outstanding acting.

(2012-05-23 06:09)

truth is powerful

Don't get discouraged by the painfull beginning. The kids' stories are powerful and you can take some inspiration from them. Swank saves the movie from the mediocre.

Rock (2012-05-22 00:53)

Suggestion

I suggest that all of the negative reviewers learn about the actual Freedom Writers Project. Read or learn about the students and stop focusing on the white female teacher. The students are the ones who had to overcome the system in addition to their environments and they are the true heroes of the story. The website is ****.org and you can read about the project in the words of the students. The movie isn't about touting the brilliance of a white female teacher; it's about reaching a segment of society that for whatever reason felt it couldn't be reached. The difference between this movie and "Dangerous Minds" is the Freedom Writers Diaries where you can read the words of the real students involved. It is well worth reading and the movie worth watching.

pensman (2012-05-21 12:46)

Gag me with a pencil

Sean Connery did a turn as mentor in Finding Forrester. Of course therewas Edward James Olmos in Stand and Deliver. Michelle Pfeiffer didDangerous Minds. Sidney Poitier did a run in To Sir, with Love. GlennFord stood up in Blackboard Jungle. Mark Harmon showed up in SummerSchool. And Nick Nolte and Richard Mulligan enlisted in Teachers.Mulligan nailed it. And now, Hillary Swank in Freedom Writers. Thefictional accounts of teaching at least provide entertainment. Butthese pseudo reality flicks provide something else, a clear message:put in a year or two teaching, write a book, hope for a screenplay andenjoy retirement at 30. After Million Dollar Baby, Swank is looking for another star vehicle.This isn't it unless you really enjoy the formula treatment ofeducation. So if repetition is your thing then this is your movie.Otherwise: sorry, do not pass go; stay in detention.

pandabr96 (2012-05-21 07:38)

Amazing!!!

One of the most AWESOME and AMAZING movies I have ever seen! I've seenit at the theater three times so far. My husband, sister, myself, mytwo stepdaughters, and two of their friends (all teenagers) all lovedit. It is beyond amazing how far these kids came, and all they neededwas someone to believe in them. This is what REAL teaching is about,and how all teachers should act. Beautiful movie, wonderful acting, etcetc. I can't think of anything negative to say about the film. Theactors all really did do a superb job, which is part of why it's sogreat. Some parts were so heartrending. But the movie is trulyinspiring, and you walk out of the theater with a great feelingafterward. Please go see this movie if you haven't already. If you haveteenagers, I would HIGHLY recommend taking them to see it also, andmaking sure that they know it's a true story. It's so heartbreakingbecause so many kids are living life as these kids were. The only placesome of them had to feel safe was in that classroom with Erin Gruwell.I can't say enough about this movie. Can't wait for it to come out onDVD!

BlaKOuT13 (2012-05-20 18:51)

Wow...

This movie really touched me. There are few times you can leave thetheater and feel like you got something from a movie. I was amazed athow well each of the students experiences and perspectives about lifewere expressed throughout the movie; how Erin struggled to find ways toconnect with her students, and how the students were able to open upand grow from her lessons and each other. You really felt for thecharacters and what they were going through. I definitely plan onseeing this movie again!Co-existence. This world isn't built for one type of person. Since welive together, we have to find some common ground to get along witheach other; cuz we really all are the same, as much as we may not wantto, or don't realize it.

(2012-05-20 07:18)

Inspiring

This review is from: Freedom Writers (Full Screen Edition) (DVD) I originally saw this movie at the theater, where AMC was letting educators in for free. I had to own it, though, because it is so inspiring. I teach young children in an urban school district, and there are days when my profession seems so restrictive-and prescriptive-that all the creativity has gone out of it. Freedon Writers lifts my spirits and encourages me to go on.Hilary Swank is establishing herself as one of those actors who can believably be anything on-screen.

Pete Vonder Haar (2012-05-19 22:33)

The only aspect of these flicks that's changed since the days of The Blackboard Jungle is that the leads have gotten prettier...and whiter.

miletaela (2012-05-19 07:06)

This is a great movie

The Freedom Writers is an exceptional movie that tells a story about ayoung teacher named Erin Gruwell, and her first generation of freshmanstudents, who were anything but ordinary. Since they come fromdifferent backgrounds, she cannot find a way to get to them, until shefinally realizes that she needs to take a different approach and startsfighting for them and with them. Her students were abandoned, not onlyfrom their families, but also from society, raised with "gang" names ontheir lips, and destiny sealed by their skin color, found aninspiration in their teacher. After reading the Diary of Anne Frank andlearning about the horror of Auschwitz and the Holocaust, they havechanged their way of thinking completely. Erin Gruwell said: "Everyvoice that tells you, you can't do it, is silenced!" which taught themto believe in themselves. She brought light to their lives and a desirefor them to become better people. They embrace her suggestion ofwriting about their lives in the diaries and after reading their lifestories she helped them to overcome insecurities and struggles. TheFreedom Writers is a movie about complex social issues, but also atrue, inspirational, and emotional life story. It shows how a uniqueapproach and originality in learning techniques can motivate studentsand bring out the best in them. Sacrificing and love for others canchange their

Peter Travers (2012-05-18 18:55)

Corny? You bet. And worse when the plot veers into the glitz of a Dangerous Minds and the sappiness of a TV After School Special. But the movie, which Swank helped produce by using her clout as a two-time Oscar winner, gets to you.

artgallery56 (2012-05-17 20:13)

Meaningful movie

This movie really was inspiring and I loved it. It really teaches agreat lesson. The world we live in now has a lot of its own problemsand its good to be able to see that it has been going on for a whilenow but we can change that. WE are the people that can change the worldand the president or some other really important person can't do it bythemselves and they don't have all control over if we try to helpsomeone or something or not. If your looking for hilarious stuff thisisn't a movie to go see because this is really blunt and serious andshows what is really going on. If everyone watched this movie I think alot of stuff would come out of it as good and the USA and the worldcould change.

Scott Foundas (2012-05-17 05:51)

In the hands of writer-director Richard LaGravenese, Freedom Writers turns out to be a superb piece of mainstream entertainment.

kirkland626 (2012-05-17 03:47)

loved it

The movie Freedom Writers is a heartfelt, emotional roller-coaster. Itgives insight in to how our inner city schools are being run .Theenjoyment of watching one teacher fight against the system sent chillsthrough my spine. No matter how hard things got she never gave up, shealso gave a 100% of herself every single day. I would definitelyrecommend this movie for others to see. Hilary Swank, who is the starof this movie, also starred in such movies as Million Dollar Baby,Amelia Earhart and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, gives an Oscar awardwinning performance. She captivates the audience with her witty senseof humor and her heartwarming charm. We are taken on a trip from theinner city projects to the suburban life of outer city schools thathave been designated to handle some of the inner city kids. Many of theteachers at the suburban schools have given up on the kids because theyfeel that they are a lost cause. Swank comes in, and shows the kidsthat there is more to life then hating and killing one another.Furthermore, she shows them a whole new world by exposing them to newthings such as museums, hotels, and other cultures that had it muchworse than they did. She eventually united the kids, and they began tomove as one cohesive unit. Many of us have kids and should want thevery best for them in life. Teaching our kids hate and segregationshould never be the solution. In conclusion, I give this movie four anda half stars. I would highly recommend this movie to a friend. Younever know how it may change their outlook on some of the things thatgo on in their life. If you have kids, this may come in handy for themtoo because some of the racial inequalities you see in this movie stillgoes on today.

(2012-05-16 13:12)

Freedom Writers

This review is from: Freedom Writers (Full Screen Edition) (DVD) This movie was a very well-produced story about a non-fictional event. It was very interesting to watch, and Hillary Swank played her role very well.

Robert Keser (2012-05-15 01:24)

At once heartfelt, absorbing, and dopey.

XavissimuS (2012-05-14 14:21)

American History XI (dvd)

First of all, this movie shows an alternative to massive sequels: finda tragic and moving story of individuals (not a biopic from a celebrityplease) to tell the world about it and thus make us find inspirationand meditation.I must admit that i was dubious at first about the actual fate of thosestudents: America isn't at war and it's not the third world: thus, ifstudents behave poorly at schools, it's only laziness.But, two facts of the movie change my views: first, one young blackactor, Armand Jones, have indeed been killed by a gang. Then, nearlyall those students have been shot at while i never even heard a gunblast in all my life in France and Europa! Thus this movie unveils a sad and dark side of America that is neverreally tackled by Hollywood: racial urban violence! As the other moviethat slapped my face like this, "American history X" (thus my title forthis review), youths are divided between blacks, Latinos, Asians andwhite. No relationships between them except for violence. i witness thesame thing in France: Everyday at lunch, in subway, communities stayinside their members. I never understood those groups and feel ratherbelonging to the one humankind: as a trainee in European parliament, ihave no french friends but Greek, Spanish, Swedish or Italian. Later, aclose friend has been Moroccan! This movie is thus a good step to the right direction: I reallyappreciate that their connection happens with Holocauste and AnneFranck: it's a great hope that those freedom writers can findinspiration into that heavy past to change their life, because thepledge of "it's a lesson and it will not repeat again" hasn't reallybeen implemented.In conclusion, this is a moving testimony of the best of us, embodiedby a terrific cast!