The Freedom Writers (English, 2007)

What is the difference a teacher can make? In a class full of teenagers most of whom come from difficult backgrounds and are involved in domestic and street violence and poverty; in a class which is divided into groups which can't tolerate each other; in a class where education is something forced upon, irrelevant to the daily struggles rather than something to be valued or something which can transform lives - into such a class arrives the newbie teacher Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) . Facing a group of disillusioned students, she gets them to trust her that she cares whether they study or not. By exposing them to know about things beyond their immediate surroundings, by exposing them to the sufferings and conquest of sufferings through literature, she gets them to learn the value of tolerance, to recognise the value of education and to pursue education beyond high school. Most of all, she teaches them to stretch themselves and develop the confidence that they can do bigger and better things.

A very inspirational story, especially as it happens to be true. The movie, given its inspirational remit, is reasonably good and keeps you involved throughout. With decent enough performances from Hillary Swank and all the students, and a reasonably well-told story, the film is a good watch. However, do not expect magic. After watching the movie, I developed a deep sense of respect for Erin Gruwell; but I did not feel as if I have seen a wonderful film.

Recommendation - Worth seeing, just for its subject.

Rating - ✔✔