I'm not sure if it's fair to call something cliche when it supposedly really happened, but even as an English teacher, I didn't feel like I was watching anything new with FREEDOM WRITERS. Hilary Swank, who I always think is good, was appropriately naive and green in the film as a first year teacher unprepared for the treachery of Room 203 at Wilson High in South Central L.A. And though I know that her devotion to her job did, in real life, cause her to take on part time jobs to subsidise her charity and cost her her marriage, it all felt so obvious.
What's worse, it reminded me that teachers in films are consistently shown as trainwrecks outside of the classroom, with no ability to manage their personal lives. Any teacher who does not devote him or herself to this extent, I guess, is not a very good teacher. And I take issue with that.
That being said, I felt like the methods the teacher used to get through to her kids were spot on and the performances were authentic. There were even some inspired moments. But there was nothing new to say here. Just the same old white person doesn't understand a minority person's hard life and can't be trusted but eventually gains trust...la la la.
2.5 out of 4
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
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