Waiting for 'Superman' (2010)

An examination of the current state of education in America today.

Director:

Davis Guggenheim

Writers:

Davis Guggenheim, Billy Kimball

Stars:

Charles Adam, Charles Adams, Jonathan Alter

16 wins & 28 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Charles Adam	...	Himself
Charles Adams	...	Himself
Jonathan Alter	...	Himself
Robert Balfanz	...	Himself
Harriet Ball	...	Herself
Steve Barr	...	Himself
Ms. Celeste Bell	...	Herself
The Black & McGee Family	...	Themselves
Geoffrey Canada	...	Himself
James Carter III	...	Himself
Todd Dickson	...	Himself
The Esparza Family	...	Themselves
Mike Feinberg	...	Himself
Adrian M. Fenty	...	Himself (as Adrian Fenty)
Howard Fuller	...	Himself

Storyline

Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim reminds us that education "statistics" have names: Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily, whose stories make up the engrossing foundation of WAITING FOR SUPERMAN. As he follows a handful of promising kids through a system that inhibits, rather than encourages, academic growth, Guggenheim undertakes an exhaustive review of public education, surveying "drop-out factories" and "academic sinkholes," methodically dissecting the system and its seemingly intractable problems.

---

Plot Keywords:

education | new york | los angeles california | redwood city california | woodside california | 

---

Taglines:

The fate of our country won't be decided on a battlefield, it will be determined in a classroom.

---

Genres:

Documentary

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some thematic material, mild language and incidental smoking

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 October 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Esperando a Superman

Filming Locations:

118th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$139,033, 26 September 2010, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$6,410,257, 19 December 2010

Company Credits

Production Co:

Electric Kinney Films, Participant Media, Walden Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There is a scene in which Bianca, one of the little girls, is reading from a book about someone taking apples and bringing them into the city to sell. The book she is reading is called "The Giving Tree" and was written by Shel Silverstein.

---

Quotes

Geoffrey Canada: One of the saddest days of my life was when my mother told me Superman did not exist.

---

Connections

References SpongeBob SquarePants (1999)

---

Soundtracks

Hitting The Trail
Written by Larry Hochman
Courtesy of APM Music

User Reviews

Super

I may not be a teacher, but both my parents were, and I grew up going to public school and got many views of the educational system as a whole. I'm really surprised to see that some teachers went to this and were actually offended by what it offered.

This movie did not set out to blame the issues of this country's education on the teachers. It depicts the issues with the SYSTEM. It's a system that protects the teachers' needs over the students in some cases. We all are aware that teachers don't get paid very well, but there are many upsides to a career as a teacher, and some go into this field because they are gifted, but just as many aren't.

What this film attempted to say (in my opinion, successfully) is that we must put the child's needs above all. The system is BROKEN, and that's all the director wanted to say. Through the establishment of the abuses of the unions, the communication of the compelling stats, and the following of just a few examples of a larger populace of suffering students and their families, the director did a BEAUTIFUL job of bringing issues to the surface.

Teachers who are talented, work very hard, and are committed to pushing students and not cruising through should not take offense to this film. However, there are plenty of teachers out there who should find this film threatening, just as many departments of education should, because on the whole, American schools are failing, and we have a lot of work to do.

Because there are educators who are threatened by the message of this film, I say that is what makes it a success. What effective documentary doesn't shake up the system and strike fear in those whose system it threatens? I'm ready for more!!!