Freedom Writers (2007)

A young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves and pursue education beyond high school.

Director:

Richard LaGravenese

Writers:

Richard LaGravenese (screenplay), Freedom Writers (book)

Stars:

Hilary Swank, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hilary Swank	...	Erin Gruwell
Patrick Dempsey	...	Scott Casey
Scott Glenn	...	Steve Gruwell
Imelda Staunton	...	Margaret Campbell
April Hernandez Castillo	...	Eva Benitez (as April Lee Hernandez)
Mario	...	Andre Bryant
Kristin Herrera	...	Gloria Munez
Jaclyn Ngan	...	Sindy
Sergio Montalvo	...	Alejandro Santiago
Jason Finn	...	Marcus
Deance Wyatt	...	Jamal Hill
Vanetta Smith	...	Brandy Ross
Gabriel Chavarria	...	Tito
Hunter Parrish	...	Ben Daniels
Antonio García	...	Miguel

Storyline

It's 1994 in Long Beach, California. Idealistic Erin Gruwell is just starting her first teaching job, that as freshman and sophomore English teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School, which, two years earlier, implemented a voluntary integration program. For many of the existing teachers, the integration has ruined the school, whose previously stellar academic standing has been replaced with many students who will be lucky to graduate or even be literate. Despite choosing the school on purpose because of its integration program, Erin is unprepared for the nature of her classroom, whose students live by generations of strict moral codes of protecting their own at all cost. Many are in gangs and almost all know somebody that has been killed by gang violence. The Latinos hate the Cambodians who hate the blacks and so on. The only person the students hate more is Ms. Gruwell. It isn't until Erin holds an unsanctioned discussion about a recent drive-by shooting death that she fully begins to ...

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Plot Keywords:

teacher | f rated | based on real person | female teacher | teacher as protagonist | 

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Taglines:

their story their words

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violent content, some thematic material and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the hotel dinner for the kids, after their trip to the Holocaust museum, all of the Holocaust survivor characters are played by actual Holocaust survivors.

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Goofs

The scene where Miep Gies tells the day Anne Frank was captured was told with some factual errors. Gies never went back to her house that very day to get bribery materials.

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Quotes

Ben: Ms. G, we can fight this y'know, like the Freedom Riders.
Marcus: Yeh yeh, we all drive around on a bus, only this time they try and bust us up we bust a few of them board member's heads.
Brandy: Or we can go to the newspapers. Media...?
Tito: Or we can paint the administration building with the word assholes, in various colours.

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Connections

Referenced in Pseudo-Intellectual with Lauren Chen: White Savior Films Shredded by Activists: Not Woke Enough (2020)

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Soundtracks

Listen!!!
by Talib Kweli, Kwamé (as Kwame Holland) & Fred Williams
Performed by Talib Kweli
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
By Arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing
Contains a sample of "Tell Her" by Fred Williams
Performed by Fred Williams & the Jewels Band
Courtesy of Jazzman Records, Ltd.

User Reviews

Saw this movie!

Wow! What a movie! I was in tears most of the time. Very, very intense movie. It was great! I didn't realize it was based on a true story and that made the whole point of the movie even better. I recommend this to everyone. A must see especially if you relate to it in any way shape or form. I think it shines hope on disadvantaged youth and great encouragement to defy all obstacles! Hillary Swank plays a great role in this film and now Im gonna go out and buy the book. My son saw this movie and was also in tears. He realized how blessed he is and how there's no excuse to not finish high school and go on to college! i will be adding these movie to my collection!

Details

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

5 January 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Freedom Writers

Filming Locations:

University High School - 11800 Texas Avenue, West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$21,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,405,582, 7 January 2007

Gross USA:

$36,605,602

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,095,175

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Double Feature Films, MTV Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1