Hilary Swank stars in this story about a teacher in a racially divided school who gives her students what they've always needed - a voice. Swank plays Erin Gruwell, the real-life teacher at Long Beach's Wilson High who inspired her students to overcome the gangs that divided them and the education system that forgot them. Based on the book The Freedom Writers Diary and supported by a cast of first-time actors who drew from their actual experiences on the street, Gruwell teaches us all an important lesson about tolerance and trust. | |
Paramount present this as a “feel-good” film -- a story of inspiration. The first sentence of the synopsis says this is a "story about a teacher" (not about the students). The teacher "gives" suggesting that she holds power and agency. The rest of this synopsis continues to position the teacher as the subject of the sentence and the students as objects being acted upon.
The trailer makes it evident that this movie is more about the teacher than the students. The beginning narration is provided by a student, who frames the stereotypical divided lines create by race. The emphasis soon moves to the teacher, however. Her principal tells her "you can't" and she sets out to prove everyone wrong. She is working for her own self empowerment. The students have no agency until this teacher comes along to empower them. Systemic oppression is portrayed in the movie through the attitudes of the principal and other teachers, but this oppression is treated as fixed and unchangeable. Gruwell and her students must work within the world as it exists rather than question or change their world.
The trailer makes it evident that this movie is more about the teacher than the students. The beginning narration is provided by a student, who frames the stereotypical divided lines create by race. The emphasis soon moves to the teacher, however. Her principal tells her "you can't" and she sets out to prove everyone wrong. She is working for her own self empowerment. The students have no agency until this teacher comes along to empower them. Systemic oppression is portrayed in the movie through the attitudes of the principal and other teachers, but this oppression is treated as fixed and unchangeable. Gruwell and her students must work within the world as it exists rather than question or change their world.