Freedom Writers Reviews

I don't know how I missed Freedom Writers. I guess I've just been too busy with life. There are times, however, to take a break. And, I'm glad I did. This movie really touched me. — Freedom Writers is a true story. It's about a teacher who landed in a tough area with a tough class. Tough doesn't really begin to describe it. These were kids who had given up. The "system" wasn't helping. This teacher did. — It wasn't easy. Most things worth doing aren't. — Erin (Hillary Swank) had big dreams for her first class. The kids didn't dare to dream. Life had been too hard. Life was… read full review »

Teaching high school students can be a very difficult undertaking. Parents have to be dealt with, discipline must be administered, and students' attention spans must be lengthened to make sure they pay attention and absorb the material presented to them. Add to that the problems associated with teaching high school students in an inner city school and you compound the situation to a point that would cause many teachers to throw their hands skyward in defeat. But there is one teacher in the Los Angeles area that was faced with exactly this situation and faced the challenge head- on. Her story… read full review »

Gripping, inspiring and educational; featuring Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, and Mario. — Erin Gruwell (Swank) starts her teaching career in one of the worst possible places, a school in the middle of a war zone.  Surrounded by violence and the fight to survive, Gruwell tries to help her students thrive and succeed not only in school but in life. — Caught in a system that doesn't care, these kids are given the chance to better their lives.  Do they take the chance?  Watch and see as this movie goes in some very interesting directions. — Although the storyline… read full review »

I was prepared to mock this movie as cheesy, formulaic and self-congratulatory (which in many respects it is).  However, I was not prepared to be truly touched by the story of hope, resilience, and redemption.  Freedom Writers, starring the talented Hilary Swank, was a thoroughly enjoyable movie. Hilary Swank stars as the title character, Erin Gruell - a neophyte high school teacher with ambitious goals for her wrong-side-of-the-track students.  Swank brings such a genuine spirit to her portrayal that you are automatically rooting for her success even though you know she'll… read full review »

Apparently it's not easy being the child of a film and television reviewer. I get the expected eye roll every time I tell my son I have something I want him to see and that I think he'll like it. He knows it's either a TV show or a film with some type of inspirational message. I keep thinking one of these times, the messages are going to sink in. I did that with the film Freedom Writers, dragging him to see it, and in essence the teacher in the film does much the same thing with her students. — — Hillary Swank stars as a new teacher with hopes and dreams about what she will… read full review »

Freedom Writer was a fabulous movie in many ways. It completely inspired the teens I took; they wanted their English teacher to get the book for the class and incorporate it into his curriculum; it got them to think and generated conversations about the topic among us; it brought more understanding to them about people, racism and the affect it has on society. Although we know that racism exists in our society, it was disheartening to the kids when they watched this movied because it brought the reality of it to the surface. It made them think of why things have to be this way and why do… read full review »

Because the movie was based off a true story, I thought that it might not be too cheesy as an inspirational movie. I went to the local dollar theater to see the movie, figuring that if it was bad, I was only out a dollar. I was pleasantly surprised though. I hadn't seen Hilary Swank before and I thought that this was a fantastic role for her. I wonder how close they stayed to the actual story, but it was definitely an encouraging story. I couldn't help but wonder though just how co-dependent this woman was. She changed these student's lives though and that is a very good thing. —… read full review »

This movie was an inspiring true story!  It goes to show what one person can do to change the future of others.  There are so many other people out there that just needs someone to take the time with them to show them what is really out there in the world, and to help them become better people!  I hope that this movie shows people how difficult someone elses live may be and why they my be having a stuggle in life on the… read full review »

I was pleasantly surprised at how incredible this movie was.  I was dismayed at the brutal reality of it, however, I saw hope just as the teacher did.  Stellar performances and incredible writing.  The movie left me with the feeling of wanting to do more because seeing what one person did for so many kids made me realize I could change someone's life for the… read full review »

FREEDOM WRITERS is an exceptionally well told story of true courage in the face of tough odds. Hilary Swank is wonderful as the inner city teacher who has to not only teach, but create a peaceful atmosphere in her classroom in which to do so between sometimes warring factions of students. She wins her way slowly into the collective minds and hearts of her charges by encouraging them to keep journals and diaries about their respective lives, and while doing so, becomes an integral part of the same. The students are all fascinating in their own ways and played remarkably well by the individual… read full review »

This movie has two aspects to it. On one hand, the director had this incredible message to send to its viewers and an inspiring story. On the other hand, the actual movie was corny, badly directed, and the acting wasn't superb. So the message was there, but not the way in which they conveyed it. It was like reading a book that repeats itself five times during the course of the story. — The problem I had with the film is that it was missing personalities in the characters. It was bare bone acting, stereotypical, and assumed the audience was stupid and fickle enough to be swayed just by… read full review »

Thsi movie touched me I work with students I think we all as adults should take that time I remember as a child (being 13yrs of age) as my mother said want to be a grown up and a baby too..theses children today have so many obstacles befroe them they need leaders they want guidance but we let them run wild like in some jungle book classic our play grounds are turning into grave yasrd and our streets the war zone I hate to see our tomorrow go up in flames we have the water of buckets in our hands and we tell them to jump..I love this movie we have act not react we have teach one so they can… read full review »

Why you may feel that this is "just another one of those sappy true life stories" I don't feel that way.  It is a true inspirational look at the life of a teacher who was willing to give up her marriage for her students.  She was willing to do what it took to make a difference in the lives of her students, while many other teachers she was working with were not willing to go that far.  While it may be hard to believe that someone would want to do this for her students, the fact is, there are people that truly want to make a difference in the lives of people. … read full review »