Video » DVD » Featured Categories » Blu-ray » General

FREEDOM WRITERS (BLU RAY) (WS/ENG/ENG SDH/FRENCH/SPAN)

$23.59

Availability: 4996 In Stock
Condition: New

SKU: BR124391
UPC: 097361243917

Shipping: $2.98
Ships in 1-2 business days

Specifications
Product Reviews
Similar Products
ANTOnline Reviews

Product Description

Though the "inspirational teacher" theme may feel done to death, Freedom Writers succeeds because it emphasizes the students as much as the teacher. Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby, Boys Don't Cry) comes to a southern California high school bubbling over with naive optimism, but quickly discovers that her unruly classroom isn't easily won over by her good intentions. After a few floundering attempts to connect with her students, Gruwell gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives--an assignment that the class bites into with relish, which eventually bonds them together and pushes racial rivalries aside. This plotline has been made before, sometimes well, sometimes poorly; Freedom Writers, by drawing heavily from the published journals of the students--and thanks to a (mostly) unheroic script, direction that emphasizes individual characters over stereotypes, and rigorous performances from the whole cast--makes the story seem fresh and genuine. Swank does solid work, but the standouts are April L. Hernandez as a girl whose gang wants her to lie and send an innocent boy to jail and Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) as a teacher who resents Gruwell's offbeat success. Also featuring Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy), Scott Glenn (The Right Stuff), and a plethora of strong young actors. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Freedom Writers

More Inspirational Teacher Films on DVD
The Freedom Writers Diary
by Erin Gruwell
More DVDs Starring Hilary Swank

Stills from Freedom Writers (click for larger image)

Actors: Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Format: Color, Widescreen
Language (Original Language): English
Language (Subtitled): English
Language (Subtitled): French
Language (Subtitled): Spanish
Language (Dubbed): French
Language (Dubbed): Spanish
Region Code: 0
Release Date: 2007-05-22
Running Time: 123 minutes
Theatrical Release Date: 2007

Customer Reviews

Reviewed on 2008-07-22

where's patrick demsey?
a good classroom movie all in all and inspirational, of course. But why have Patrick Dempsey (one of my fav actors)in the movie if he's not going to do anything? The movie carts him off after a separation scene at the breakfast table. We are given no explanation whatsoever why swank and dempsey need a separation from their marriage. Instead of involving Dempsey in her project somehow, he's erased from the plot....waste of a good actor in my opinion.

Reviewed on 2008-07-21

Stellar Movie In This Type of Drama Genre
There are a lot of movies out there on the market that deal with the same or similar type of theme/genre as presented in "Freedom Writers" (i.e. "Dangerous Minds", "The Ron Clark Story", "Music of the Heart", etc.)....

However, "Freedom Writers" is one of the best I have seen so far in this type of genre. The acting by all cast members is fabulous, the storyline & the way in which the material is presented is extremely well done by the screenwriter(s), director, cinematography and so on.

"Freedom Writers" is a very inspiring story based on the real life teacher Erin Gruwell, whom rises to the challenge in making a difference in the lives of her students. When Erin Gruewell comes along as a rookie teacher fresh out of college, she ends up making a real connection with her students and gets them interested in learning. Hence, the students are now interested in learning because they can see they do have a future and so, they end up achieving better grades and overall test scores.

Education is a wonderful thing and it is wonderful to know there are many outstanding teachers in this world willing to go beyond the extra mile to teach future generations of young people.

Reviewed on 2008-07-15

Express yourself.
Freedom Writers is a good teacher/student film but jeez don't all these inspirational films seem the same? Hilary Swank plays a very spunky and overally positive English teacher who wants to reach her wayward students through journal writing. Patrick Dempsey also stars as Swank's loving but impatient husband. Dempsey shows he's more than a pretty face, I have always thought he was a great actor. This film is somewhat sugary but it's based on a true story so expect some tears to flow. I highly recommend watching this diamond in the rough, enjoy!

Reviewed on 2008-06-30

Inspiring!
Inspiring performances by the entire cast made this movie sparkle! I didn't know what to expect, frankly I had low hopes. But I love Hilary Swank and it sounded like it could be a different movie, not the same old same old. I loved it! Everyone shone. Very compelling tale. Well done.

Reviewed on 2008-06-09

True Story
Watch the "special features/extras" on the DVD, and you'll discover that this is based on a true story. And, Swank and the real teacher met.

Yes, it is another "inspirational teacher makes a difference" movie, but this is one of the better ones of this ilk. Plus, I like them anyway. Having worked with "troubled youth," both as a mentor and as a teacher, I'd say this teacher understood pretty well. Bravo to the teacher for bucking the "system" that would have just passed these kids off as lost causes. There's a bit of each of these kids in all of us, if we'd stop and look.