Just finished this just now, and this is another one of those kind of movies about gang violence, interacial conflicts and troubled students and of course, there's always someone who tries to save the situationor at least give them hope for a change.
Set in Long Beach, Erin Gruwell ( Hilary Swank) a new teacher faced the students of Room 203, who had nothing better to do than to worry everytime they step out of the school and back into their world filled with hatred and fear.
Gang violence is obvious...however through Erin's own way, she managed to get around the students to actually learn or at least get their lives back on track. One of them is to let them write whatever's on their mind, their own stories in these journals. Thus, the title Freedom Writers. And this is based on a true story...there is a real Freedom Writers Foundation out there.
She took them for educational tours, she took up two part time jobs just to buy them new novels like The Diary of Anne Frank etc...because the school doesn't think that they would appreciate the books even if they let them have it. And day by day, as she gained trust from these students, she began to lose more time with her lonely husband at home, played by aka Dr.Sheperd ( in Grey's Anatomy), yeah...
Which in the end, they divorced. So the sacrifices of a teacher is portrayed pretty well in this movie.
I won't write more now, enough spoilers.
Worth watching?Well, yes, if you have the chance to do so, it does open up your mind about the world out there. And it makes you feel so...u know...grateful for your own. And i liked the idea of handing journals to students and make them write their minds out. It's a great way to know what are they thinking about deep down their hearts. What changes they want in their lives?
What do they want in their lives?
And stuffs...I always loved it when we get to just write what we have in our minds, whether they make sense or not, it's still a good way to channel your feelings out.
Somehow i don't see that coming from our educational system, sadly. But it's a great method. You get to know that person more through their writings. Well, most of the time anyway.
And lastly...i didn't see the fact that this is another tear-jerking movie when i read the synopsis. I just didn't see that coming but i nearly cry....from second half of it onwards. I have a soft spot for movies like these...xD
Any of you watched it?
