
Family movie night? There's an app for that
Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.
Freedom Writers
By Cynthia Fuchs,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
True story of inspirational teacher; language, violence.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Freedom Writers
Community Reviews
Based on 16 parent reviews
This Movie Is Awesome
Plot
What's the Story?
In FREEDOM WRITERS, enthusiastic and innocent teacher Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) arrives at a high school in Long Beach just after the L.A. uprising in 1992, aiming to follow in her civil rights activist father's footsteps. Erin's first few days at school are daunting: She witnesses a fight, sees a boy pull out a gun, and endures taunts from her students, who see themselves as their other teachers see them: the "ghetto-ass class" unworthy of attention or time. Erin is also discouraged by her cynical colleagues but she persists, seeking ways to connect with her students. Finally, one of them -- distrustful Eva (April Lee Hernandez) -- explains her rage: "White people running this world," she says. "I saw white cops shoot my friend in the back for reaching into his pocket. They can because they're white. I hate white people on sight." Erin realizes that since her students self-segregate by race, they never learn one another's stories. So, she has them stand together in the classroom when they've shared an experience, like losing a friend to violence. They begin to recognize their similarities. As the students write about their lives in a "war zone," Erin also has them visit L.A.'s Holocaust museum and read Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. Moved by Frank's story, the kids raise money to bring Miep Gies (Pat Carroll), the woman who hid Frank from the Nazis, to campus.
Is It Any Good?
This deeply earnest drama follows a familiar storyline. An idealistic young teacher inspires her "at-risk" urban students to respect each other and themselves. She's white, they're mostly of color; she's clueless about their harsh lives, they initially resent her cluelessness but learn to appreciate her efforts to understand them. It's this last part that makes director Richard LaGravenese's film work, despite its many clichés. Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) makes a difference by asking her students to talk to her and each other -- and acting on what they say.
The plot is predicable, the actors too old to play high school students, and the pacing too slow. And really, the camera circles around deep-thinking faces a few too many times. But Freedom Writers also argues for listening to teenagers. That in itself makes it a rare and close-to-wonderful thing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way that Erin engages her students -- by listening to them. How is this an effective way to teach? How do the students learn from one other when they share their stories?
How is this movie an example of the "white savior narrative?" What are some other examples of movies in which people of color struggle to find their way in the world until a white protagonist comes along and finds their true calling in life by saving the people of color from their circumstances?
This is a movie based on a true story. What aspects of the story do you think actually happened, and what aspects do you think were heightened or exaggerated for the sake of creating more drama and conflict in the movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 4, 2007
- On DVD or streaming: April 17, 2007
- Cast: Hilary Swank , Imelda Staunton , Patrick Dempsey
- Director: Richard LaGravenese
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 123 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: violent content, some thematic material and language.
- Last updated: September 6, 2023
Inclusion information powered by
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Movies with Inspiring Teachers
Movies That Inspire Kids to Change the World
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate