Freedom Writers

Thought to be one of the most heart-warming movies of its year, Freedom Writers is more than a drama; it tackles the hardships and economics of race and gender. On the surface, the movie first appears to be nothing more than a simple story of an optimistic new teacher wanting to help a group of disadvantaged students. However, it is only through her lessons that Ms. Gruwell teachers her students that each person is more than his race or ethnicity and helps them focus on the understanding and acceptance of others. Confronting issues such as the lower socio-economic background of minorities, racism, sexism, and gang-wars, Freedom Writers gives insight into the lives of an underprivileged population.The movie Freedom Writers is a drama directed by Richard LaGravenese and released in 2007. Its sub-genres include themes strongly centered around the importance of self-worth, overcoming stereotypes, race and ethnicity, socio-economic status, and gender bias. It is based on the real-life stories of Erin Gruwell and her 150 students known as the Freedom Writers. More than just a drama, Freedom Writers is a story of overcoming a world of violence, drugs, fear, and poverty. The movie is meant to convey a message of hope, liberty, understanding, and acceptance.Freedom Writers is a movie based on a true story that took place in 1994 after the brutal beating of Rodney King. With a city embroiled in constant riots, the students at Woodrow Wilson High School become involved in their own rivalries between black, Asian, and Latino gangs. When first-time teacher, Erin Gruwell, is assigned a class of underprivileged “at-risk” students, she takes it upon herself to ensure that they do not become products of their own environment. After giving the students an assignment of writing daily in a journal, she begins to understand that these students – all of whom deal with many challenges such as being physically or sexually abused, domestic violence, drug or alcohol addiction, homelessness, or race-based gang violence – have a lot in common. It is through these journals that the students begin to open up to “Mrs. G”. She further teaches her students about the Holocaust and uses the remainder of her second year to teach them about the understanding and acceptance of others. Not only does her efforts create a positive learning experience for her students, but it also attracts the media’s attention. Though other teachers considered these students to be unteachable and belligerent, it was through Gruwell’s unorthodox lesson plan that every single one of her students graduated from high school, with half going onto college.Freedom Writers is a film that has strong themes centered around racial discrimination. In a verdict that stunned Los Angeles, acquitting the four police officers involved in the brutal beating of Rodney King, an uprising spurned a series of riots, lootings, arsons, and civil disturbances. Two years later, in the city of Long Beach, California, racial tensions have reached an all-time high. Tensions that are only worsened after voluntary integration was suggested at Woodrow Wilson High School. It is because of the integration program that the teachers at Woodrow Wilson blame the “at-risk” students for the school’s academic decline. Not only does the integration program throw all the “at-risk” students into one classroom, but in the first four minutes of the film, it’s obvious that Mrs. Campbell judges these students based on racial stereotypes. She believes that because of their socio-economic background, race, and ethnicity, they are incapable of learning and remarks that it’s best for Mrs. Gruwell if she doesn’t wear expensive jewelry to the classroom. It’s not enough that these students were raised to be prejudice toward anyone that is not their same race, but the negative attitude of teachers, such as Mrs. Campbell and Mr. Gelford, is damaging to their self-esteem.In the Freedom Writers, the city of Long Beach is engulfed in a racial war where blacks, Asians, and Latinos fight one another for gang territory, respect, and personal satisfaction. These wars have carried over from parents to the children that have started their freshman year at Woodrow Wilson High School. With both the school and city are both divided, the children of room 203 have no place they can turn for solace. It is only through the lessons of Mrs. Gruwell that these children begin to see that, despite the color of their skin, they actually have a lot in common and learn to understand and tolerate one another.Though Freedom Writers focuses on the story of a teacher reaching out to students who were thought to be unteachable, there are obvious moments of scopophilia. For starters, the main character Erin Gruwell, played by Hillary Swank, is objectified in two separate scenes in which the camera focuses on her backside. In the first scene, Gruwell/Swank has her back turned toward the students as she writes something on the blackboard. As she is writing, the camera focuses on a chalk stain on her buttocks and a student make a vulgar comment. Later, the camera once again focuses on her backside as she is taking cookies out of the oven and her husband is staring at her behind. Furthermore, there are additional moments of scopophilia in the costumes of the actors who play the female students. Though LaGravenese does an amazing job keeping the focus of the film on racism and how the children learn to overcome their hatred of other races, the actresses who play the students seem too old for their parts and their attire is better suited for an older teen. The girls in the movie are sexualized, wearing tight-fighting jeans and tank tops. However, in the early to mid-1990s, fashion consisted of either loose-fitting and colorful clothing, tapered pants, sweaters with turtle-necks underneath, and extra-long t-shirts. The hip-hop look of tight jeans and tank tops was not popular until the late 1990s. By sexualizing the women in the movie, LaGravenese has turned them into mere objects to be looked at, rather than subjects with their own voice.One significant editing technique that is used in Freedom Writers is the montage. The movie starts out with a montage of the L.A. riot footage. Likewise, roughly twenty minutes into the movie, the editor uses similar quick cuts to signify the passage of time. By editing nine different scenes together in the classroom, viewers can see that time is passing and Mrs. Gruwell is slowly losing the student’s interest. As the montage continues, it becomes clear to the viewer that the students are cutting class because of their hatred for their teacher. Finally, the film also uses a cross cut to show multiple scenes happening in different locations but at the same time. A great example is the scene in which Eva and Sindy are getting ready to go out. The scene switches back and forth from both girls as they do their hair and makeup and get dressed to go out with their friends.From 2Pac’s “Keep your Head Up” to Digable Planets’ “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” to Montell Jordan’s “This is How We Do It”, Freedom Writers constantly uses hip hop and rap music throughout the entire movie to represent the violence the students face at home and on the streets. The songs are used in such scenes as the shooting of Sindy’s boyfriend and when Alejandro throws his gun away to emphasize the seriousness of each situation. In other scenes, the film uses a softer melody in the background for the meaningful moments, such as when Sindy and Eva finally bond.LaGravenese makes brilliant uses of visual effects in Freedom Writers. For example, in the scene where Brandy is being beaten by her father, LaGravenese uses a range of camera angles to convey to the viewer how small and defenseless she is compared to her father. By using a high-angel shot, viewers can see how her father dominates the scene and exerts himself as having the highest authority in their household. Additionally, LaGravenese makes use of close-up shots when he wants to draw attention to a character’s facial movements or feelings. In any scene where a character is expressing their personal feelings, the camera always zooms in onto their face. Finally, the camera pans out in scenes where the viewer must pay attention to what’s happening in the background. For example, when students get into a fight in Mrs. Gruwell’s class, the camera is zoomed out and the two students who are fighting are placed far left on the screen. In the center-right of the scene, viewers can see Mrs. Gruwell running out of the classroom to get a security guard.In conclusion, Freedom Writers is not just a movie about racial wars, with strong themes that center around unity, betrayal, violence, perseverance, and segregation, it’s about how even the most different people can come together in the right environment. It is through Mrs. Gruwell’s perseverance that the students are able to unite after finally understanding and accepting one another. Just as it is through LaGravenese’s clever use of visual effects that the viewer is able to feel what each student went through in their home life.

Freedom Writers is an inspirational film with some edge. I'm glad the writers decided not to tone down the story too much, as most of the students came from "gang" environments, and the film showcases this with some scenes of gang violence. This actually makes the journey they take together all the more powerful because most of the students shown here are kids on the verge of ending up in jail or dead.One thing that makes this movie work so well, is that the film has many powerful and touching moments in it. It isn't as formulaic in which the "big, powerful moment" only comes at the end.Freedom Writers tells a true story of young Ellen Gruwell who is in her very first year of teaching at Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. She's eager and can't wait to get into the classroom. Being a teacher myself, I understand this enthusiasm. She finds herself amidst a number of Latino, African-American, and Asian students. Oh yeah, there's one caucasian student who, throughout the first half of the film, wishes he was anywhere else but there.Ellen's first attempts to teach them anything fails. She can scarcely get their attention, much less teach them anything. These are the kids who have beent thrown into classrooms. Nobody really thinks they can do anything, and nobody else really cares if they succeed or not. One teacher tells Ellen, "If you can teach them some obedience and discipline, then you will have made a tremendous accomplishment." This isn't near enough "accomplishment" for Ellen. Despite being mistreated by most of the students, Ellen has something that even the students don't have: faith. She feels it in her bones that these kids can succeed.Ellen's first hurdle is to gain the respect of the students. Most of them feel that she can never understand who they are, the lives they lead, and why they feel that life is all but hopeless for them. Ellen uses the example of the holocaust to finally begin to peak some interest in the class. Many of the students feel that they are living out their own version of the holocaust, since many of them pray that they will live to reach adulthood. She even takes them to a museum about the holocaust, and has some holocaust survivors speak to the students about their experiences (played in the film by actual holocaust survivors). This begins to have a very powerful and profound effect as the students begin to look within themselves.However, Ellen's idea of creating a journal for the students was brilliant. Most people don't realize that writing is a very healing activity. Ellen gives them the freedom to write whatever they want. There are no requirements. If the students want her to read the journals (which isn't required) they can discreetly leave them in a cabinet in the classroom. Ellen probably thought she would be lucky to find even one journal there. However, she opens up the cabinet to find that the whole class has left their journals there for her to read. She finds herself learning and understanding her students in a very deep and personal way as the journals offer her a connection.As a consequence, both Ellen and her students begin to develop a bond. Ellen creates a safe environment for them. Racial barriers quickly begin to fade, as each student realizes that they are not all that different from each other. Even the white student soon finds himself accepted and among friends as the hate and anger are replaced with tolerance, friendship, and understanding.Hilary Swank is one of the best actresses today. She has such range with her abilities from "Boys Don't Cry" to "Million Dollar Baby." Swank brings Ellen Gruwell to life without making Gruwell seem larger than life. Gruwell has her own battles to fight, including getting two extra jobs so she can buy books and other things for her students. Swank is also able to bring Gruwell's naivety about teaching to light.Imelda Stanton, one of the best character actresses in the business, is brilliant as Mrs. Campbell. She's a woman who has been teaching for nearly 30 years. She feels slighted that a woman with minimal teaching experience can come in and make a difference. And yet, sometimes it isn't the experience that is needed as much as the belief and faith in the students. I've seen teachers who have taught for a number of years who have lost that faith. They've given up. They simply go through the motions and try to get through a day. Mrs. Campbell embodies these teachers, and Stanton does this extremely well.One of the most powerful moments in this film is when, after reading the "Diary of Anne Frank," the students want to meet the woman who hid Anne Frank. They hold fundraisers to earn enough money to send for her. She shows up and shares her experience. When one student stands up and says, "You are my hero." She quickly turns things around as an opportunity to empower these kids. "No, YOU are the heroes," she says. "Just because you are teenagers doesn't mean you can't be a small light in the darkness."Ellen Gruwell gives everything of herself for these kids. She believes in them, even when nobody else does; not even members of their own families. Her dedication and devotion to them costs her her marriage. And despite the abuse she takes in the beginning, she never, NEVER loses her focus or her zeal and enthusiasm to teach and believe in her students."Freedom Writers" is a tremendous film about an extraordinary teacher with extraordinary students. Perhaps it demonstrates that what these kids want more than anything else, is for someone to believe in them; for someone to be a beacon and show them that they can change; that they can make different choices and that it is never too late.Everyone can be a small light in the darkness. Ellen Gruwell is certainly that.

I was so happy I was able to get this on DVD. Yes I still see movies on DVD even though I stream.

Great movie.

I have loved this movie since the first time I saw it, this kind of teaching should definitely be used more, or even at all.

I WATCHED IT SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND FELL IN LOVE. WHEN IT BECAME AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE ON PRIME, I SNATCHED IT UP! I WILL ADMIT, I AM NOT A SWANK FAN BUT IN THIS MOVIE SHE BECOMES A REAL LIFE HERO UNITING HER MULTI-RACIAL AND OPPOSING GANG MEMBER STUDENTS WHILE TEACHING THEM ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST AND THE LENGHTS HATE WILL DRIVE PEOPLE TO DO UNSPEAKABLE THINGS.HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE TO YOU!

Hillary Swank is such an excellent actress. I can’t help but wonder why you don’t see her more. This was an excellent storyline well written and well cast.

I loved this. Teachers make a difference

Great movie!

Passt genau in die jetzige Zeit.Toller Film

Excelente pelicula

Excellent film

本当に素晴らしい映画で何度も何度も観ましたがどなたかにDVDを貸してそのまま…でまた観たくてもう一度手に入れました。