The Bottom Line
Hilary Swank delivers a powerful performance in the inspirational film, Freedom Writers, based on a true story. Incredibly moving, timely, and entertaining, Freedom Writers is a must-see movie and one that should be required viewing by high school students everywhere.
Pros
- Terrific story
- Great cast
- Loads of bonus features
Cons
- None worth noting
Description
- Commentary by director Richard LaGravenese and Hilary Swank
- 4 deleted scenes including one with the students taking in a showing of Schindler's List
- 'Making a Dream' - Common and will.i.am discuss putting together a new song to sum up the film and its message
- 'Freedom Writers Family' - Behind the scenes with the cast, director LaGravenese, and the real Erin Gruwell
- 'Freedom Writers: The Story Behind the Story'
- DVD Release Date: April 17, 2007
Guide Review - Freedom Writers DVD Review
Freedom Writers tells the true story Long Beach high school teacher Erin Gruwell (Swank), a freshman English teacher who not only listened to her students but tried to understand what they were really going through. Gruwell tossed aside the traditional methods of teaching and came up with ideas to engage her students in wanting to learn. Not only that, but Gruwell also wanted her racially mixed class to learn tolerance and that violence wasn't their way out.
Attempting to give each of her students a voice and control over their personal and academic lives, Gruwell handed out journals and had each of her students write something in them each day. Those journals became part of the the book, The Freedom Writers Diary, that inspired the movie.
Joined by a fantastic young cast of newcomers (including R&B artist Mario), Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Imelda Staunton, and Scott Glenn take the viewers on an emotional journey that connects with audiences of all ages.
