Escritores de la libertad

I read the message boards before seeing the movie and wasn't really that excited to go see it. Yes, the general storyline has been done before...

I'm a male teenager and this movie made me cry. I can't remember the last time a movie made me cry... in fact, I don't think I have (teary-eyed doesn't count). Freedom Writers moved me.

It was so much better than I expected. All I can say is that it is definitely worth at least a matinée viewing.

The movie reminded me that all of America isn't like white middle-class suburbia, of which I am a part. Regardless of how many times the same movie has been done before, the white middle-class can use as many reminders as possible that education is not that easy to obtain everywhere. Even in America, opportunity is not equal, and I think it's important for people to see that.

Don't judge the movie without seeing it.

Films about our educational system have been moneymakers from The Blackboard Jungle, to Up the Down Staircase, to Stand and Deliver and now Freedom Writers. This film and Hilary Swank's lead performance in it have an honored place among those previously mentioned.

If you noticed the common thread running through all the films mentioned and this one is that it seems to take a neophyte teacher to shake up the system and try something new. And that's what Hilary Swank is in Long Beach High School a newly racially mixed school where all the kids seem to be balkanized.

The real miracle that was wrought in Freedom Writers is that Swank gave these kids a vision of the wider world. And that vision showed that as young people they had far more in common than the race and ethnicity that divided them. The writing came when she had them keep diaries that could be read on a volunteer basis.

I had a few good teachers like Hilary Swank in my youth. Some of them were just time servers and not terribly inspirational. Those are the folks the educational system ought to treasure.

I'd expect nothing less than the best from a two time Oscar winner and Ms. Swank does deliver. She gets good support from Patrick Dempsey as the husband who becomes estranged from her with her single minded devotion to her kids and from Scott Glenn as her father.

What was for me the best was having those kids read about the troubles of another young person who they could relate to. That would be Anne Frank and her diary. And the meeting of Swank's class with Holocaust survivors was tender and touching indeed.

I wish she'd been my teacher and given me The Diary of Anne Frank to read. Better than reading Silas Marner.

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!

I saw this screening and I must say, it was actually a really good movie. Once again Hilary Swank did a terrific job as always! I know it's based on a true story but I'm pretty sure it must have been exaggerated a little. I've been to Long Beach and I know it's not that bad. But then again, this was back in the 90's so it could possibly be true. I also agree that Mario puts on a good performance. For a while, I forgot he was Mario. He really played his character Andre really well. The actors that played gangsters, dealers really looked like gangsters and dealers so that was good too see. Also, Hilary Swank looks a lot like the real Erin Gruwell so that was actually pretty cool. Overall, the movie is good. Definitely better than Dangerous Minds. My grade is an "A".

I just arrived home after having seen a screening of this film. It's very strong and moves well. It is very emotional, but is balanced well with humor. Even better it's true to life humor, things that would actually happen. you are drawn into the "family" that is the class and you are led to see the changes taking place in people, instead of having it shoved in your face like your too basic to understand.

I would also like to note the music. It was wonderful and did what music is meant to for movies, setting the moods the score was present in the background but not overwhelming (as in so many other movies lately) the music didn't overshadow the story that was unfolding in any way.

Overall a very good movie that I will be happy to see again, and even happy to pay full ticket price (which is saying something!). Great job and thank you to all who worked on this movie, in my eyes it's a winner. ^_^

"My badness" *chuckle*