Freedom Writers

[JamieC]

Has anyone caught this movie on Showtime? It's pretty good yet something different. The Synopsis is:

Hilary Swank stars in this gripping story of inner city kids raised on drive-by shootings and hard-core attitude - and the teacher who gives them the one thing they need most: a voice of their own. Dropped into the free-fire zone of a school torn by violence and racial tension, teacher Erin Gruwell battles an uncaring system in a fight to make the classroom matter in her students lives. Now, telling their own stories, and hearing the stories of others, a group of supposedly "unteachable" teens will discover the power of tolerence, reclaim their shattered lives, and change their world.

It's based on a true story and if you get a chance, please check it out because its shows that not all hope is lost with our youth.

[afrocentric]

i brought the dvd and it's pretty good although there are some issues about this movie.

[JamieC]

Originally Posted by afrocentric

i brought the dvd and it's pretty good although there are some issues about this movie.

Generally issues with most movies. What caught your goat and take on it? Don't discourage others from seeing it tho. Let's go.

[darkshadow4563]

I saw it and many others like it. I think she's a great actress. I am just tired of the same old black kids in trouble white woman to the rescue plot. But with that said, it is a pretty good movie and if they can help, take it.

[afrocentric]

my problem is this....after watching this movie i started wondering about why does it have to be white teachers getting the praises of teaching our black kids when i know black teachers can do the same.

i remember watching this movie ONE EIGHTY SEVEN starring SAMUEL JACKSON?...in the end,he died trying to help troubled youths. i kind of got upset. to me it's not fair. black teachers can do just as well a white teachers can.

don't get me wrong, the movie was well put together since LEAN ON ME. i just wished to see more movies with black teachers getting rewarded too.

i

[Disenfranchised]

MadTV did skit about the movie. It sums up how I felt when I left the movie theatre.

YouTube - Nice White Lady

[T Bone]

I live in the area where this picture is set. As a matter of fact, a portion was filmed on my block (the part where the boy is waiting on the corner for his mom at night when she comes home with the groceries). I lived two blocks from the school for about four years. I moved there about 2 years after the movie was set. I have worked in youth ministry in this area since 1996, I personally know many youngsters who were at this school at the time.

One of the most troubling aspects of the film is that it was not even done on the campus of the school it depicts. From what I understand, the producers wanted a more "urban" looking setting. So they went some 30 or so miles down to Los Angeles. I think I recognized a couple of scenes having been done a Wilson High. The film does address the diveristy at the school. However, it does not go far enough in demonstrating just how affluent the neighborhood that houses this school is. The film also fails to address the fact that the students in the program would be the smallest of minorities in the school.
In inner-city schools there ARE white people who care about teaching and do just that. I see nothing wrong with movies spotlighting them. I feel it is important to show that people do move beyond race and teach because it is what they were hired to do. The importance of showing white people is not to make them out to be heroes, they are not. It is important that people know that if these white people (women most of the time), can go into the "concrete jungles" and connect with young black people as just that PEOPLE.

[afrocentric]

It is important that people know that if these white people (women most of the time), can go into the "concrete jungles" and connect with young black people as just that PEOPLE.

you're right, but black teachers can stick their neck out as well. they need to be noticed too.

[InnerCityRose]

Originally Posted by darkshadow4563

I saw it and many others like it. I think she's a great actress. I am just tired of the same old black kids in trouble white woman to the rescue plot. But with that said, it is a pretty good movie and if they can help, take it.

Now that you made that statement, I don't believe I have seen a movie depicting a black woman to the rescue...is that because it's expected that it would be done?

Think about it, the other movie with Michelle Pfeiffer off to save the poor little black kids, the principal with John Belushi (I think that is his name) off to save the inmer city kids. The only one that I can think of where there was actually a black person trying to make a change is the movie, Lean on me with Morgan Freeman (code red people..we have a code red) trying to save kids that looked like him.

Why does it have to be such a big deal, when someone of outside of the race steps up, when many of our own step up each and every day?

[afrocentric]

Originally Posted by InnerCityRose

Think about it, the other movie with Michelle Pfeiffer off to save the poor little black kids, the principal with John Belushi (I think that is his name) off to save the inmer city kids. The only one that I can think of where there was actually a black person trying to make a change is the movie, Lean on me with Morgan Freeman (code red people..we have a code red) trying to save kids that looked like him.

hahaha... morgan freeman with that crazy joe character. don't forget the bat..thats how he got that name.

anyway.....

i wish there was teachers like Marva Collins. remember her?....in the 70's she opened up a school in her area for the black children. for a while, she taught and sent majority of them to college. that school stood strong for a long time and just recently it had to be shut down.... not enough money to keep it going.