NOW ON DVD

FREEDOM WRITERS
Rated PG-13
Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn

Brian’s Rating       

Like most people, I thought Freedom Writers was going to be yet another story of a dedicated high-school teacher fighting to help at-risk underachievers reach their full potential. I was mistaken. And now that this fine film is available on DVD, I hope that those of you who skipped it during its theatrical run will make an effort to see it.

Academy Award winner Hilary Swank plays the real life Erin Gruwell, a talented but naïve English teacher who takes a challenging post in a California high school.

Her job is to educate students who have been bussed to a predominantly white school and who are expected to perform in substandard fashion. The result, perhaps predictable but nonetheless true, is that many of them respond to her instruction and in fact excel.

I found Freedom Writers to be enjoyable, inspirational and heartwarming. I urge you to check it out on DVD.