Film Essay

ENG 102-011W
Final Film
15 April, 2013




Freedom Writers Analysis



If everyone is the world stopped and took a look around them they may see that the world in which we live is far from perfect. Starting with our children’s education. Even being a member of society baring no off spring; education to next generation should be just as important to you. Mary your current baby sitter could be the next Supreme Court Judge. Or maybe she will end up nothing more than your local beggar. The film Freedom Writers addresses areas affecting education funding, how negative support from educators can affect students, and how community involvement can create positive changes.
Freedom Writers is a biography based on how a classroom of at risk-students become inspiring young adults for everyone. These students were at a school that had a very small to no budget for their educational needs. The main reason for this was because the staff members of the school felt they were not responsible enough to take care of the materials. Mrs. Gruwell, played by Hilary Swank, was the one teacher in the school who was not going to just give up on her students that were see as those kids who were more than likely not going to make it graduation. According to the film though, “Mrs. Gruwell was able to be their English teacher from freshmen to senior year. Many of her students were the first to graduate in their families and went on to college. Following some of her students, Erin Gruwell went on to teach at California State University, Long Beach” (LaGravenese).
Watching the film it is obvious director Richard LaGravenese wanted his audience to see how even though we may not all have the same skin tone; our lives consist of the same problems. And eliminating ethnical bias would create a healthier environment for education. In one scene we have a girl by the name Eva getting ready for her night out. In the background Eva has her music playing. LaGravenese uses cross cutting to show Sindy doing the exact same as Eva: getting ready and listening to the same song. LaGravenese used the music and transitions between the scenes to show how in even simple ways we are the same. When people think about how to better the education system, they my look at it from the point of view of every place has different ethics so their needs will be different. That is true to a certain point. Showing how girls the same age but different ethics have the same social habits shows that surely their education needs will be the same.
Director LaGravenese uses a more dramatic approach in the scene where Mrs. Gruwell has just been rejected new books for her class. Mrs. Gruwell is an educator who cares deeply for her students. Director LaGravenese uses a close-up shot to create a dramatic effect on Mrs. Gruwell’s realization of ethics dividing themselves. LaGravenese using an eye-level shot we see Mrs. Gruwell’s view of a school yard. Techniques Mr. LaGravenese demonstrate an emotion many educators can relate to when facing similar problems involving funding and having another educator be so cold and careless towards their students; hurt. Not all will agree LaGravenese techniques did were affective. Claudia Puig, writer for USA Today, stated, “Freedom Writers heart is in the right place. It's too bad screenwriter (and director) Richard LaGravenese didn't exercise more freedom of thought” (Puig). Puig felt the film came on to strong on stereotypes.
‘Freedom Writers” in more than just about a divided school. It painted a decent picture of what educators and students go through with a budget that lacks. When students are not giving the proper materials they need to progress in school how are they going to succeed? Mrs. Gruwell takes it upon herself to have change in her classroom. Mrs. Gruwell getting a second and third job so she can pay for books and trips for her class. Since Margret, head of budgeting, played by Imelda Staunton, will not provide books that are in good condition because according to Margret, “the students will do nothing but destroy them.” (LaGravenese). LaGravenese used Margret as the villain. Her words are harsh when speaking of the students from room 203. Researchers from Nigeria said, “Excessive emotional abuse from teachers can negatively affect children and may have adverse effects on their learning” (Aluede, Jolly Okoza, and A.I. Ojugo). Students are already suffering from a poor budget. Knowing their teachers and staff do not have faith in them will have students leaving school; students see that has no one having faith in them.
On a happier note, LaGravenese starts a series of cross-cutting shots of Mrs. Gruwell’s students raising money to fund an event and newspaper headlines. Transitioning between the two makes the audience sit and acknowledge what success they have achieved. Mrs. Gruwell did not ask for paper coverage but received it for going above and beyond for her students. This shows that if we can get our communities involved and more aware of the funding issues; we can see changes in our schools.
LaGravenese was able to get the audience attention. Letting us see more into education issues school around the world face every day. Having teachers like A Erin Gruwell gives hope back to us all. We can see change in our schools if we want it back enough. The first step, getting the community involved. It’s time to start showing our students we do care and want them to succeed.












Works Cited
Aluede, Oyaziwo, A. I. Ojugo, and Jolly Okoza. "Emotional Abuse of Secondary School Students by Teachers in Edo State, Nigeria."Research in Education 88 (2012): 29-39. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.
LaGravenese, Richard, dir. Freedom Writers. Paramount, 2007. Film. 01 April 2013.
Puig, Claudia. "'Freedom' Rings Rather Hollow.”Usatoday.com. USA Today, 05 January 2007. Web. 12 Apr 2013.