Film Review „Freedom Writers“
A film that I recently watched is „Freedom Writers“. It is a classroom film
and was directed by Richard LaGravenese. The main actors are Hilary
Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn and Imelda Staunton.
The film is based on the book „Freedom Writers Diary“ by Erin Gruwell who
is played by Hilary Swank. The film was produced in the United States in
1990 and was published in 2007. It is set in Long Beach.
„Freedom Writers“ tells the story of Erin Gruwell, a young teacher at the
Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach. The students in her class are in
different racial gangs and they don’t like each other. In their free time they
fight. Erin Gruwell tries to help the kids with projects to integrate them in
class. One of her projects is the „Diary of Anne Frank“. Erin pays the books
from her own money because the principal, Margaret Campbell (Imelda
Staunton), doesn’t want the students to read the book so she doesn’t buy
the books. The students are so impressed by this book that they want to
invite Miep Gies who has helped to hide Anne Frank during the Second
World War. This project helps the students to recognize that they are a
community. At the end of the year Erin Gruwell is allowed to teach her class
in the following years too. Erin Gruwell doesn’t have any time for her
husband, so he divorces from her.
The hero is played by Hilary Swank, she is a charming young woman who
tries to help the kids in her class. Her husband is played by Patrick
Dempsey. At the beginning he supports his wife but in the end he divorces
from her.
Richard LaGravenese won the Humanitas Prize in 2007 and was nominated
for the NAACP Image Award in 2008. The soundtrack of this film is rap and
black music.
I like the film because it’s never boring and I think the film is sad. My
favourite scene is where Erin Gruwell plays the game with the red line
because it is a very serious scene.
I would recommend the film because it is an interesting film and there are
many serious and sad scenes. I think kids of my age, 15 years old and above
can watch the film because young kids couldn’t understand this film.
(Marie Billmann, 10d)
