Freedom Writers
By Mal Simons, Blockbuster.co.uk
Starring Oscar® winning actress Hilary Swank, Freedom Writers tells the story of a teacher who inspires a group of inner-city children who are without hope to respect one another and escape the ghetto. A film with heart, Freedom Writers was nominated for an Oscar® at this year’s Academy Awards®.
OK. I admit that every month we seem to see the release of another ‘mentor’ type movie where a teacher / mentor / coach / prison guard comes along and convinces a group of hopeless, horrible, children (but with potential), to turn their backs on their wasted lives of crime in order to respect one another and play a positive role in society. Last month there was
Gridiron Gang (not too bad, read our review here); this month marks the release of Freedom Writers. Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting much from this but ended up being pleasantly surprised.
Double Oscar® winner Hillary Swank plays real life teacher Erin Grewell, on whose life story this film is based. Grewell took a job at the tough Long Beach High School against her husband and father’s wishes; a school where the pupils are divided among ethnic lines and care more about the situation in the neighbourhood than what they learn at school.
Initially teaching them as she would in any other classroom, Grewell initially finds it hard to relate to the youngsters – with them finding it hard to see the relevance of ancient literature and poetry in their every day lives. But through sheer perseverance and a change of tact (which I won’t disclose here); Grewell eventually gets through to her teenage charges and starts to make a difference. The result is a transformation of the pupils in the school and the reality of the neighbourhood.
Now, you are right in thinking that this sounds like the plot of
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Dangerous Minds and that this story has been done before. What makes this film different to other incarnations is that it takes this well known story in a completely new and unexpected direction. I can’t disclose this direction here without ruining the film, however suffice to say that this makes this a much more worthwhile experience.
But what really makes this film stand out from the crowd is the strength and honesty of Hillary Swank’s performance. Swank is able to connect with the audience and quickly, you will find yourself cheering for our committed teacher, not willing to quit and fighting on over the objections of her family and friends.
The performance of the teenagers should not be overlooked too; I suspect that we will be seeing more of many of them in films in the future. All in all, Freedom Writers is a terrific new take on an over used story. Gripping stuff and highly recommended to rent. Add to your list now!