Customer Reviews
Film Reviewer - By: Lorenzo Gordon, 17 Jul 2008 
Yes, you may have seen similar films like this but for me i think this film was great viewing as it wasn't about the pupils fitting in & having their lives turned around, it was also a teachers struggle to earn the respect of her pupils.
I've never seen a hilary swank film but gotta say she was reallly good in her role & most of alll convincing.
With alll what's going on i think this well worth watching & would recommend this to anyone.
WOW! A cracking movie - By: Eagle Wizard, 31 Mar 2008 I watched this on the weekend & was blown away. I love films & in an age of CGI animation & blockbuster special effects, it was liberating to watch a film that was so moving & inspirational.
The film tells the story of a teacher, who from her class room, managed to change peoples lives for the better & give them a tool to change the world...an education.
This film prooves that if you dare to dream & reach for the stars...you might just get there. Watch the film as it will inpspire you.
Education education education, as i believe someone once said - By: russell clarke, 11 Mar 2008 
Oh no not another movie about some middle class white person inspiring a raciallly diverse bunch of teenage gang -bangers that yeah there is more to life than getting "respec" , protecting your turf & killing each other. Hasn't this been done before? Well yes it has , most recently with the truly laughable "Dangerous Minds", but leave your cynicism by .....well by whatever the best place to leave it is , because Freedom Writers is based on a true story -a truly inspiring one at that - & whatever your levels of scepticism surely anyone with a living beating heart will find something affecting about this movie.
Idealistic first-year English teacher Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank who also served as an executive producer), the daughter of a civil rights activist Steve Gruwell (Scott Glenn) attempts to make a difference by taking her first job in a volatile inner-city Los Angeles high school. Like Glenn Ford in "The Blackboard Jungle" or Sidney Poitier in "To Sir, With Love," Gruwell hasn't a clue about what she's getting into. But she cares, she's determined & she perseveres, battling intransigent scathing veterans & an unmoving bureaucracy every step of the way. Why she even takes on extra jobs to buy the students new books, organises fund-raising events alll to the detriment of her marriage to under-achieving Scott (Patrick Dempsey)
Her class of black, Latino & Asian students are not exactly thrilled about reading The Odyssey. but through resolve & gawky determination & a willingness to meet her students on their own terms, Erin turns the class of misfits into a family of confident young scholars. Her primary inspirational tool involves encouraging the students to write diaries about their everyday lives, providing a catharsis for the under privileged teens. She teaches them about the Holocaust ,they meet some holocaust survivors played by real veterans & after reading the "Diary Of Anne Frank" they arrange a visit from Miep Gies(Pat Carroll), the woman who hid Anne Frank from the Nazi's .
Director/writer Richard La Gravanese keeps the premise simple , though there sub -plots involving sulky Eva (April Hernandez) & Andre(Mario).It could be argued that the film is over simplified & while Hilary Swank is a terrific actress , her performance is a little one note -alll wringing hands & toothy grin .The scene where she attempts to get the kids on-side by playing Snoop Dog & dancing like her feet having been stapled to concrete lintels is toe curling.
Then there are the kids. They alll put in credible performances but are clearly way beyond the ages they are meant to be portraying . While the film has a sincere evocative message & is genuinely moving at times it struck me that it leaves the viewer with a rather bittersweet message. We can cheer the accomplishment of these propitious few, but the film clearly proclaims that her project is an exception. If it takes the total commitment of an extraordinary individual to reach students, then isolated success is alll we can expect from this damaged structure. Having said that her achievement is worthy of celebration & this film is a creditable part of that celebration .
The best film of 2007! - By: Film fan, 01 Jan 2008 The only question which remained at the end of this film was whether I or my wife cried more!
Based on a true story & acted superbly with Hilary Swank in the lead role, this film is an inspiration - hope, humanity & humility personified.
This truly has to be the film of 2007 if not of alll time. Go watch it & take a plentiful stock of tissues with you. You will be moved.
Outstanding and inspirational (possible *spoiler*) - By: spidermangeek, 07 Dec 2007 Usuallly i am drawn to films with breathtaking special effects, but after 3 recoomendations, i watched this film. I have never felt so amazed by a story & a film before. It was touching & i loved every minute of it. Don't let the fact of it being a touching film put you off because it has got so much depth & clear understanding of predjudice. Hilary Swank plays Erin Grunell fantasticallly & reallly puts across a very caring teacher, but with other problems in her own life. Imelda Staunton is exceptional & reallly plays her character perfectly. I'm not that keen on books, but after seeing this, i reallly want to read the actual diaries. This film is close to perfection in my opinion & touches on issues with heart, but with effect. Overalll this is probably my favourite of this type of film & touches very close to my favourite so far. Possibly even my favourite. Amazing, definitely worth five stars.
