Freedom Writers is about a new teacher in a public school forced to do a integration program. She is given a English class filled with "low class" students that all have given up on getting anywhere else than the gang life they are already part of. The thing is so has all the other teachers. They see them as a scum that can't be taught anything. The new teacher Erin struggles with the class and in a moment of rage over a drawing she learns that the kids doesn't even know what the Holocaust is, giving her an idea toward how she should teach these kids.
This movie reminds me so much of Dangerous Minds starring Michelle Pfeiffer, a movie I has watched a lot. It is the same type of new teacher comes to town and teach young kids that every one else has given up on. Freedom writers however is more modern (to be fair dangerous minds premiered in 95) and it gives a lot more insight in the change in the kids. Erin gives the kids a change to be heard by giving them the assignment to write whatever comes to mind. This is also through this assignment we as a viewer gets to hear what is going on in the bright minds of the kids, how their lives works, how everything is ruled by the gangs.
Not living in the US and not being confronted with the issue, because in my part of the country gangs aren't really a problem, I know next to nothing about it. But given I do know it's a problem I believe this movie is really good at showing in an entertaining way what is going on. Don't get me wrong I know that movies like this show a "romantic" side of the gang wars. After all the movie has to sell tickets. On the other hand the use of the words from the book gives it a more real feel to it. And i do find it that the use of the book works really well.
I really recommend watching this movie. If it scares you it should. It is about real life and about real kids that society has just given up on. Simply just Watch it.
