Does "predictable" always equal "bad?" That’s the question on critics’ minds while watching Freedom Writers, the true story of Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank, pictured at right), the new teacher of freshman English at a racially-divided California high school, who … well, you know. Variety’s John Anderson seems to be saying the answer is no: "Another movie about a well-meaning, white-bread teacher thrust among the savages? No, not by a long shot. Although Freedom Writers is the latest in a long line of saint-saves-students stories, it takes the bold approach of being earnest, honest and unafraid to be called naive. As a result, it’s extremely affecting."
Las Vegas Weekly’s Josh Bell, however, appears rather confident that the answer is yes. He contrasts Writers with the recent, more unconventional Half Nelson, in which Ryan Gosling played a crack-addicted teacher: "And not that she needed a crack habit, but Erin herself is so unbelievably saintly — and her fellow teachers so snivelingly evil — that she’s impossible to believe as anything more than an inspiration-bot. Every student is fundamentally good and easily taught and reformed, and the eventual triumph of the human spirit is so predetermined that it’s not particularly satisfying. The music swells, the tears well up, Swank smiles lovingly, and the crack pipe starts to look rather appealing."
And we’re not quite sure which side the Los Angeles Times‘ Kevin Crust falls on: "Dramatically, the movie never veers from its predictable course, but Swank’s performance renders the point moot. There likely was a better, more original movie to be made focusing more on the Freedom Writers themselves, but if this more conventional direction had to be taken, it’s hard to imagine a more affecting version."
Another debate: Just how marvelous is two-time Oscar winner Swank? You gotta love The New York Times‘Manohla Dargis’s backhanded compliment: "Ms. Swank is an appealingactress of, at least to date, fairly restricted range. In her finestroles — a transgender man in Boys Don’t Cry, a boxer in Million Dollar Baby –she plays women whose hard-angled limbs and squared jaws never fullyobscure a desperate, at times almost embarrassingly naked neediness. InFreedom Writers Ms. Swank uses that neediness to fine effect in a film with a strong emotional tug and smartly laid foundation." And The Hollywood Reporter’sKirk Honeycutt’s upfront diss: "Swank, who exec produced the film,marches through the story with a curiously inappropriate grin on herface. No teacher in America could possibly smile this often. Never oncedo you see the iron in the character that enables her to cope andconnect with such challenging students."
Finally, no Reviewing the Reviews would be complete without a special shout-out to Eleanor Ringel Gillespie of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.The highlight of her critique: "A firecracker named Eva (April LeeHernandez) bluntly asks, ‘What are you doing in here that would make adifference in my life?’ Good point. Teaching Homer to homeys seemsabout as useful as teaching aerobics to the homeless."
Girl, you crazy.
Comments (1-17) of 17 Add your comment
This is one of those movies that when the preview came on, I shifted in my chair uncomfortably – too good to be true!
If you do some research on this teacher you’ll find that she no longer teaches.
P.S. love the new “face” of E.W!
Hillary Swank is one the most talented American actress working today. Her Oscars were no fluke. But this movie is obviously a star driven vehicle.
If you like Swank, you’ll probably like it. If not, there’s not point of you even seeing it.
Yawn. Joe Clark, Stand and Deliver, Mr Holland’s Opus, Sister Acts 1&2, that movie with Michelle Pfeifer as an ex-marine turned teacher, Major Payne, Dead Poets Society, the list goes on. The missionary (per Op Ivy: On my way to save the world, on my way to save the world) character in a school setting has been an overplayed character since Concrete Jungle set the stage back in the 1950’s. Jon Lovitz even did a parody of this overabused genre some what, 10 years ago?
“Inspired by a true story” seems to mean inspired by an overused formula.
“Bad kids, good dedicated teacher, a creative idea that inspires the kids, the establishment who hold them back, all here next on Springer.”
This is a surprising movie/career choice for Matt Damon coming off of the success of The Departed and The Good Shepard…
I’m sure this movie is great, but I just wish Hollywood would pay attention to the thousands of African American and Latino teachers who are just as dedicated, frustrated, and inspirational as their White counterparts.
As an inner city english teacher (in fact, my school in the south bronx IS the school from Blackboard Jungle)i know i can say this–this movie is RIDICULOUS!!! there is NO way this happens. 1st–no teacher, no matter how dedicated, will reach EVERY child in a classroom. 2nd–no inner city student (let alone an entire class) is that interested in English class. 3rd–this movie implies–the commerical does anyway–that in order to be a dedicated , and therefore good, teacher you must give up any resemblance to a personal life (when she appears to choose her classroom over Patrick Dempsy.)
ugh, this movie–and others like it–make me so angry. doesn’t hollywood realize that a movie or a tv show about an actual school would be more thrilling that this kind of drivel? I am not saying that the real girl didn’t do wonderful things in her classroom, but there is NO way it could have been accomplished in the way it seems to be in Freedom Writers.
The review in my (Ontario) paper said much the same thing..yawn, been there, seen that. The critic said something along the lines of…wouldn’t it be nice if for just ONCE, at the end, the teacher would go away thinking “nope, can’t save these kids, tried, but I can’t”.
As for Hilary, I don’t mind her, but don’t get me started on her being a TWO-time Oscar winner…when the more deserving Kate Winslet and Kate Blanchett have none no far!!
And yes it’s superficial, but does ANYBODY else watch Hilary in
in ANY role and find themselves thinking SEVERAL times throughout “Yikes, those are some big choppers” . Distracting.
I meant “chompers” not “choppers”, but she could probably “chop chop” just about anything with those humongous teeth.
I dunno about the rest of the american public. But the black community is very sick of these movies where a white messiah goes into the savage land of inner city high schools and SAVES THE DAY. Michelle Pfiefer already did this, and um Coolio made a good song for the soundtrack. Hasnt this cliche been DONE SO “many freaking times” lol. I mean Boston Public was enough there is no need for any more movies to be made about this subject. We get it inner city schools are bad, and only white teachers with super powers can save them… NEXT
SPEND YOUR MONEY ON CHILDREN OF MEN INSTEAD!!!
Ho Hum1…..I can think of at least one movie that disputes your white messiah theory. In the movie “To Sir with Love” Sidney Poitier is an African American teacher that comes into an all white school. But lets be real, the only reason people will be going to see Freedom Writers is to see Hillary Swanks rare beauty. Last year she was voted most beautiful by at least two or three magazines.
Freedom Writers? I thought the photo was so we could comment on a “United Colors of Benneton” ad.
ueozwnr pxmtaervd dlqcipw laecsfhv pqzb zpawoyb anmcol
it sucked
it sucked
It was a very interesting movie that flashbacked to reality. Makes people fell grateful for what they have.
it was totally wicked!!!!!!!!!!