MovieChat Forums > Freedom Writers (2007) Discussion > What annoyed me about this movie...

What annoyed me about this movie...

posted 17 years ago by lromo21
44 replies | jump to latest

As a 29-year old high school English teacher, I was looking forward to seeing this movie and for the most part I was pleased and entertained. It had a good message and a few touching scenes. However, I was annoyed at how unprepared Erin was on her first day. I know "it's only a movie" and I shouldn't over analyze it, but there were so many little things she did wrong! It was almost as if she had never been to the school or had any idea what the environment was like. She arrives minutes before the kids do, so she's navigating the halls along with them, she stands at her desk as they enter instead of by the door, she turned her back to the class as she was writing on the board, and she wore a skirt!! Unless you are a teacher, you won't get it, but a new, first year, female teacher should not wear a skirt on the first day. Plus she smiled like an idiot and greeted them like she was greeting church members over potluck. It was almost too much to bear. But after that, I liked the rest of the movie. Do any other teachers/future educators agree?

[–] Yorick_Brown 14 years ago

Completely intentional. She was supposed to be very naive at first.

You and I were made for this
I was made to taste your kiss
We were made to never fall away

[–] jon-larsen 14 years ago

I'm a student and we had this teacher who had never taught before and she was like that and she arrived 10 minutes before the kids!

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] candyxcoreaple1 14 years ago

I find the original posters comments wrong, or bias.
When I was a first year teacher, I was assigned to what most would call a "troubled school." This was three years ago. I who had become a teacher became of inspirational experiences myself real and fictional did most of the things you said "teachers" shouldn't do. I wore a skirt my first day, I smiled, and I did what my favorite teacher did in High school which was stand inside and yes, smile (as rare as you may think that is) at my students who walked in. And as for the minutes before school, yes that is one thing I can agree with you on. Although in the movie, I'm sure it was used to convey a rushed energetic excitement into the plot for it was her first day.

What you think should happen or believe doesn't happen does not mean it's right. I not only have done the things you listed but have had teachers and professors all through out my life do the same.

And yes I live in America.

I am on my husbands account and really don't need a reply but when I read this I just felt the need to reply and notify you on your errors regarding certain generalizations.

No disrespect meant, but this is from on teacher to another.
Jannie Lavendra

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] joshuaoffenbacher 11 years ago

What you fail to realize is that Erin Gruwell was on set almost every single day, and Hilary wanted it to be as real as Erin done it in her naivete. What angers me most about Hilary's portrayal is she did not come home with her 3rd OSCAR. This in my opinion is the greatest movie of all time. And I have been on hundreds of movies.

[–] gremma 9 years ago

It isn't "just a movie!" It is a true story. She was out of her depth, it was an integrated school, she knew that, but no one can be prepared for that if they did not go to one themselves. The students are far from their homes, busing is not of your generation? Busing was a part of the Civil Rights movement, I was surprised to see it still done.

When they first started it the picketing Mothers created such awful problems. Children were bused from their neighborhoods to a financially strapped school across town; those children were bused to your school. I didn't have to do it, our school was already integrated.

Teachers, as you probably know, last, on average, five years. Teaching the "unteachable" kids is very difficult, teachers usually try to get jobs anywhere but there.

Your annoyance comes from your personal knowledge. I'm sure if I watched a movie about pre-school photographers, I'd see many things that were "off." It's only natural.