Movie Review: Freedom Writers

Tweet

You know the films I’m talking about: Invariably, whenever Hollywood introduces a high school basketball team that cannot shoot straight, these overachievers end up city champions in the end. A joyous finale is practically guaranteed, capped off by a game-winning buzzer beater. Although ‘Freedom Writers’ replaces basketballs with books, its outcome is nearly identical to ‘Hoosiers’ and the like. In this case, however, educational hoop dreams come true. Based upon a true story, ‘Freedom Writers’ is about a privileged rookie English teacher from Newport Beach, CA on her first assignment at an integrated high school in Long Beach, CA. But instead of downtrodden dribblers, she is handed a student squad that cannot think straight -- yet. This film’s best bit of dialogue arrives when Gruwell’s father describes her as being “blessed with a burden.” It is a paradox, for how can a burden also be a blessing? But for these diamonds-in-the-rough students, Gruwell’s special burden turns out to be their unlikely blessing. She embodies their ticket to freedom.