Film analysis on the movie "Freedom Writers"

Freedom Writers

A Film Analysis

presented by

CASTAÑARES, MARY ROSS T.

BSEd IV-E

to

Dr. Danilo B. Solayao

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

VALUES, ETHICS AND RELEVANT LAWS

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

San Pedro, Laguna

1^st Sem., SY 2011-2012

I. Preliminaries

    A. Title of the film:

            Freedom Writers

    B. Scrip writers:

            Richard LaGravenese

    C. Director:

            Richard LaGravenese

    D. Cast (major characters):

Hilary Swank as Erin Gruwell           

Patrick Dempsey as Scott Casey
Scott Glenn as Steve Gruwell            

Imelda Staunton as Margaret Campbell
April L. Hernandez as Eva Benitez (as April Lee Hernandez)

Mario as Andre Bryant                      

Kristin Herrera as  Gloria Munez
Jaclyn Ngan as Sindy                                    

Sergio Montalvo as Alejandro Santiago

Jason Finn as Marcus                        

Deance Wyatt as Jamal Hill
Vanetta Smith as Brandy         Ross   

Gabriel Chavarria as Tito
Hunter Parrish as Ben Daniels          

Antonio García as Miguel
Giovonnie Samuels as Victoria          

           

II. Introduction

            When our professor listed the titles of movies that we should watch, I had a hard time figuring out what those movies all about. Until he said, that those movies are for teachers, then I started to be curious. Our professor provided a clip for the movie, so that we could have an idea. We were able to start the movie and continued it at home.

            The movie was refreshingly different, and as a future educator, I could relate on the film. I could see myself having a hard time disciplining the students. I sometimes compare my students to Eva and her classmates, though my students are not that wild.

            But, at the end of the day, I was inspired by the movie. I still believe that being educator is a gift from God.

III. Synopsis:

The story begins with a fresh-faced, idealistic twenty-three-year-old, Erin Gruwell., a new, excited schoolteacher who leaves the safety of her hometown, Newport Beach, to teach at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, a formerly high achieving school. Her eagerness is quickly challenged when she realizes that her classes are all "in- danger” students, also known as "unteachables", and not the eager students she was expecting. Not only does Gruwell meet opposition from her students, but she also has a hard time with her department head, who refuses to let her teach her students with books in case they get damaged and lost, and instead tells her to focus on teaching them discipline and obedience.

 One night, there are two students, Eva a Hispanic girl and also the narrator on the story, and a Cambodian refugee, Sindy, find themselves in the same store. One student, Grant Rice is frustrated at losing an arcade game and demands a refund from the owner. When he storms out, Eva's boyfriend attempts a drive-by shooting, wanting to kill Grant but misses, accidentally killing Sindy's boyfriend. Eva is a witness, she must testify at court; she intends to protect her own kind in her testimony.

At the school, Ms. G. interrupts a racist drawing of one of her students and uses it to teach them about the Holocaust. She gradually begins to earn their trust and buys them composition books to record their diaries, in which they talk about their experiences of being abused, seeing their friends die, and being turned out. Being determined to reform her students, she takes two part-time jobs to pay for more books and spends more time at school, to the disappointment of her husband. Her students start to behave with respect and learn more. A transformation is especially visible in one of her students, Marcus. She invites several Holocaust survivors to talk with her class about their experiences and takes them on a field trip to the Museum of Tolerance. Meanwhile, her untraditional teaching methods are scorned by her colleagues and department chair Margaret Campbell.

The next year comes, Gruwell teaches her class again for sophomore (second) year. In class, when reading The Diary of Anne Frank, they invite Miep Gies, to talk to them. After they raise the money to bring her over, she tells them her experiences hiding Anne Frank. When Marcus tells her that she is his hero, she denies it, claiming she was merely doing the right thing. Her denial causes Eva to change lying during her testimony. When she testifies, she finally breaks down and tells the truth, much to some of her family members' dismay. Gruwell asks her students to write their diaries in book form. She compiles the entries and names it The Freedom Writers Diary.The film ends with a note that Gruwell successfully brought many of her students to graduation and college.

IV. Analysis

1. Describe the title of film. How appropriate is it?

            “Freedom Writers” is very catchy; at first you could think that the story is all about journalists, but it’s all about the students who couldn’t express their feelings and emotions that’s why they have this neglected feeling.

            I think and believe that the title is appropriate because it’s all about teenagers who want to free their selves. They want to be out on their shell. They want to be free, and through that “diary” they had the courage to fight those fears.

2. Characterized the protagonist/s and antagonist/s (if there’s any) of the story.

                        As I observed, all of them are protagonist, because they have their own stories and experiences. There are 151 characters on the film, but I choose only 4 major characters and they are:

Mrs.Erin Gruwell: She helped the students to start a new life. She taught them how to value their selves. She made them realize, despite the things happened to them they still have the right to be happy, to be loved and to be respected.

Eva Benitez: The story evolved on the life of Eva. He sought for help, because she was stocked on her past bad experiences.

Sindy: She and Eva's gangs were against each other, they were always involved on different trouble.

Marcus: He had so many issues since he was a young boy. He was face with many trials. He had secrets no one knew, he wanted to go back home to his mother but didn't know how to. He changed himself in order to show his mother that he wasn't going to disappoint her anymore.

           

Based on my analysis, nobody is considered as the antagonist except for the department head of Ms. Gruwell. She kept on contradicting the ideas of Ms. Gruwell on how to handle the students.

3. Who among the characters impressed you most? Why?

I liked most the character of Erin Gruwell, as a future educator, she must be my inspiration. In her character it shows the 3Ts of education; teach minds; touch hearts and transform lives.

4. Which part/episode of the film do you like best? Explain.

The best part for me was the part when Erin Gruwell saw and felt how difficult to teach people who are “unteachables”. She was about to give up but she took it as a challenge, and it showed the eagerness of her to change the life of her students.

            I liked this pat, because it intended for us future educators. It made us realize that we must continue our journey being a teacher, and there are people who really need us.

5. Cite at least five (5) lines or dialogue in the film that reflects the character’s ethics. Interpret the meaning of each line.

            a. Andre: Why should I give you my respect to you? Because you're a teacher? I don't know you. How do I know you're not a liar standing up there. How do I know you're not a bad person standing up there? I'm not just gonna give you my respect because you're called a teacher.

                        --It tells how the student doesn’t know how to respect others. It seems he is afraid to trust people.

            b. Erin Gruwell: You know what this is? This is a Fuck You to me and everyone in this class. I don't want excuses. I know what you're up against. We're all of us up against something. So you better make up your mind, because until you have the balls to look me straight in the eye and tell me this is all you deserve, I am not letting you fail. Even if that means coming to your house every night until you finish the work. I see who you are. Do you understand me? I can see you. And you are not failing.

-- She is uplifting the trust and confidence of the students. This teacher wants the students to make up their mind, that they deserve more. They will have much better future ahead of them.

c. Marcus: I sat there until the police came. But when they come, all they see is a dead body, a gun, and a nigger. They took me to juvenile hall. First night was the scariest. Inmates banging on the walls, throwing up gang signs, yelling out who they were and where they from. I cried my first night. I never let anybody know that. I spent the next few years in and out of cells. Every day I worry, when will I be free?
            -- It reflects the bad experience of Marcus. He had a trauma because of his experiences. There are some times although he was free on jail, that he couldn’t free himself from that experience. It shows also hoe the authority treated people especially those teenagers.

d. Eva: In America, a girl can be crowned a princess for her beauty, and her grace. But an Aztec princess is chosen for her blood. To fight for her people as Papi and his father fought, against those who say we are less than they are, against those who say that we are not equal in beauty or blessings.

            -- In these lines of one of the major characters, it reflects that she had the concept of being racist. She was a black woman, and she kept herself down, which is wrong.

e. Andre: Justice doesn't mean the bad guy goes to jail, it just means that someone pays for the crime.

            -- It reflects what is the concept of the character about “justice”. He took it unfair, for him not all bad people are in jail, they are free, as long as there are people who pay for that crime.

6 What were your feelings toward the conclusion/end of the story? If you were the writers, how would you have ended the story? Expound.

At the end of the film, Ms. Gruwell was able to bring her students to graduate and to enroll in college. It’s a very good and happy ending. It made me realize that still it is good to be a teacher when you have something to impart to your students.

If I were the writer, I would also end it that way. I will make the viewers realize how important the teacher is. How much time does a teacher give for the welfare of the students, and at the end the most important for them is the success of their students.

V. Conclusion and Recommendations:

1. What insights and social ethics have you gained from watching the film?

This film is for teachers, and this film helped me to understand the real world for educators. I gained a lot of insights and social ethics on this.

It showed the 3T’s of educators:

 “Teach minds”, it does the usual role of the teacher. It is to educate the mind of the students.

“Touch hearts”, it gains the trust of the students. It is to show care and respect to them.

“Transform lives”, it is to help the students to start a new and better life. It is the most important thing that a teacher can do to her students.

                        I also gained the importance of “patience” and “dedication” to your job. It is not just a job, but a mission for us to fulfill, there are certain persons who need our guidance.

                        The ethics on this movie is not to judge a person; every one of us has the difficulties in our life. There is a certain experience that made that person what he is today and as a teacher it is our job to understand them and help them to be free on that nightmare.

2. Would you recommend this film to a friend? If yes, why? If no, why?

                  Yes, I will definitely recommend this movie with my friends. It’s not just an entertainment but a film worth-valuing. My friends should watch this, because as a future educator, it will serve as an inspiration for all of us. It serves also as a wake up call for us, to know and realize the real duties and responsibilities of a teacher.