For every film lover, there are a few films which are very close to their heart. They may not be blockbusters or very well known, but it touches a chord in their heart. FREEDOM WRITERS is one such film to me. This is one of the first movies I recommend to anyone who asks me to suggest something to watch. It was during my first year in college that I rented the DVD from my local store only because I watched MILLION DOLLAR BABY a few weeks previously and was just speechless by Hilary Swank's performance in it. After finishing watching FREEDOM WRITERS , I was glad that I gave it a try. It sort of enriched me. Yes, Hilary Swank is awesome as expected but this movie has so many other facets.
Based on a true story, the movie stars Hillary Swank as Erin Gruwell, a young teacher who accepts a position teaching freshman and sophomore English at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, Calif. It's two years after the Los Angeles riots in 1992, and Mrs. Gruwell is having trouble relating to her mixed freshman class of Hispanics, blacks, Asians, and one white guy. The white guy just wants to leave, and the Hispanics, blacks, and Asians have taken their gang warfare from the streets into the classroom. They aren't interested in her earnest attempts to discuss Homer, the Greek poet, or teach proper grammar. The ever-optimistic young teacher comes up with her own curriculum to try to get the kids to learn more about themselves and the world around them, , while resolving conflicts with fellow teachers and the school principal about her techniques. Just note how the thinking of the students starts changing after they are taken to a field trip to know more about the Holocaust and realizing the atrocities caused by Hitler and how racial discrimination was taken to a disastrous extreme.She also urges the kids to keep journals of their day-to-day lives, something that's so successful that she assigns them to read "The Diary of Anne Frank" .
Slowly, the students start to change and they start respecting and helping one another. They start understanding one another and realize that beyond the superficial surface of color and race, the underlying issues faced by all of them is almost the same. Erin Gruwell is the catalyst for this change and she makes quiet a number of sacrifices to achieve it.
As I mentioned earlier, Hilary Swank gives a fine and powerful performance. Its a joy to watch her as she slowly earns the respect of the students through her unconventional technique. But even more amazing is the film's array of talented young actors and newcomers, particularly April L. Hernandez as the strong Latina Eva. It's such a strong and effective performance that you have to wonder if she was able to bring something to the character from her own experiences. Its that natural. Jason Finn stands out in his role too.Patrick Dempsey has too little screen presence to make any impact and most of his scenes seemed forced.
It's the kind of inspirational story that deserves to be told and heard, because it effectively touches the heart and moves the spirit. One would have to be pretty cold or tough not to be moved while hearing some of the heartbreaking true stories of these kids, as relayed by the film's talented young cast.Highly recommended.
MY VERDICT
****1/2 - Owns a special place in my heart
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