If you take a look at the kind of schmaltzy garbage director Richard LaGravenese has written prior to “Freedom Writers,” you get a good idea what to expect from this white-teacher-saves-minority-students film.
Clearly, this is a man in touch with his inner romantic. The dude has gurgled out scripts for “The Bridges of Madison County,” “The Mirror Has Two Faces,” “The Horse Whisperer” and “Living Out Loud.”
Actually, he’s got a hold of his inner romantic and is strangling it vigorously.
LaGravenese is inflicting double pain with “Freedom Writers,” serving as both director and writer in order to make sure the overbearing melodrama of his words is translated directly into overbearing melodrama on screen. Hilary Swank stars as Erin Gruwell, who takes a teaching job in Long Beach, Calif., not long after the L.A. riots in 1992.
Erin’s idealism bumps up against the reality of inner city high school, which is that her class is filled with a variety of minority students who seem more interested in killing each other than in studying. They have no hope and no motivation, but Erin gives them that motivation because she’s young and white and proud and her father (Scott Glenn) doesn’t believe she can do it and she’s going to prove him wrong.
Whew!
Erin’s enthusiasm is met point for point by the dour, by-the-book negativism of a fellow teacher, Margaret Campbell (Imelda Staunton). It’s like watching the intellectual equivalent of a slap fight.
“I believe in these kids,” Erin says.
“Well, I know the reality,” Margaret replies.
“But I know they can do it if they just have a little support,” Erin says.
“I know they won’t,” Margaret replies.
Man, if only Margaret and Erin had slept with the same man, you’d have an episode of “Jerry Springer.”
Better than: “Dangerous Minds”
Worse than: “Stand and Deliver”
Using the Crankyometer
(1 BOMB) GOOD–(4 BOMBS) PAINFULLY AWFUL
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