"Freedom Writers" - Miles On Movies

["Mad" Miles]

“Freedom Writers” (2006)

By R. Miles Mendenhall

2/2/2007

Hillary Swank plays a young, tough but naïve teacher starting at an inner-city school in Long Beach. The year is 1994 and in the aftermath of the L.A. riots her low-end English students are disaffected and hostile. Gangs, violence, ethnic conflict and the war in the streets give them their focus, not improving their English grammar. She struggles, and eventually finds a way to engage them through their journal writing. And she pays a large personal cost.

I avoided seeing this film until now, it’s been out for several weeks, for two reasons. I’m an unemployed Secondary Social Science and English teacher and I didn’t think I could handle being reminded that I was unable to find a position this year. It would be too frustrating. (And it is!) Secondly the professional critics only gave it moderate approval, calling it formulaic and derivative.

I’m a sucker for romantic stories of dedicated teachers struggling to get through to difficult students, or who face other adversity. They then prevail because of their bureaucracy defying maverick ways. I’ve seen them all: “Black Board Jungle”, “Up The Down Staircase”, “Goodbye Mr. Chips”, “Dead Poets Society.” They aren’t the reason I went into teaching, I’m not that naïve, but I am inspired and touched by these stories.

This is a fine film. It is a little simplistic and implausible at a few not too important moments. It only follows one of her classes. Teachers have to juggle a full load of five classes. There is a scene in a courtroom where the testimony of a student is a little too succinct.

Because it gives us some insight into the lives of poor, urban youth and the daily war for survival and place forced upon them, it does something noble and profound. It empathizes with the forgotten and discarded. I won’t knock that, ever. And yes, I wept, just a little. And they were happy tears. Best of all, it’s based on a true story.


Those of you who have been receiving these mini-film reviews from me via personal email or our sonomaculture list might have noticed that I didn’t see any films (in a theater, that I’ve chosen to write about) for a week or two. That’s because based on the reviews I’ve read nothing has really caught my interest. I’d hoped that something new would open this weekend that I really wanted to see. Nada. It seems that many fine films were released at the end of last year and early this year, so they could be out in time for the Oscar nominations, then once those were out, the studios put the dogs out. No insult to canines intended. I’m hoping the Spring crop is better.

[Clancy]

What did you think of Babel? I thought it was well worth the time.

I enjoyed The Departed, Children of Men, Blood Diamond and Casino Royale too, but none of them approach the impact of Pan's Labyrinth.

["Mad" Miles]

Wrote this last night, it wouldn't load. Now it did. M on M's

"What did you think of Babel? I thought it was well worth the time."

I saw "Babel" just before I started writing these pieces. I was blown away by the Japanese part of the triptych. Having worked with adolescents for the last three years the deaf girl's desperation to be accepted and loved was completely realistic. Not that adults don't have the same emotional needs but the rawness and both self-conscious yet oblivious intensity of teenager's emotions is particular to their state. And that girl's rawness and emotional intensity was palpable to me and very disturbing.

The Mexican nanny sequence was also good, but her naiveté kept bugging me. "How could anyone be that stupid!", kept going through my head. But such things do happen so I was able to overcome my skepticism and empathize, eventually.

The Moroccan sequence was acrid, the two boys foolish act and consequent predicament became the quintessence of tragedy. I thought Brad's character was remarkably, a bit unbelievably, calm in the context of what was happening. I think most guys would have decked the English guy, who was lobbying to abandon them to their fate, by the second time he'd pushed the tourist group to leave.

Cate Blanchett? She could make picking her toes into a profound and deeply disturbing yet beautiful behavior. She's the best mature young woman actor we've got today. Of course, their characters' self-involved behavior, no matter the source of their despair and estrangement, in leaving their children behind with an undocumented amah and no other serious back-up child care in place? It kind of undercut my sympathy for their admittedly dire condition.

I liked the white skin privilege American (U.S.) exceptionalist geopolitical message. Especially the irony that by being Americans their rescue was delayed by considerations of national pride and diplomatic protocol.

I liked the color shift between the three settings. I thought it was well shot and well paced, although the stranded in the Sonoran desert sequence dragged a little.

Overall a good effort at trying to capture the disconnected yet interdependent nature of modern life. I don't think it will be considered a classic but still worth seeing as a meditation on alienation.

"I enjoyed The Departed, Children of Men, Blood Diamond and Casino Royale too, but none of them approach the impact of Pan's Labyrinth."

I completely agree.

Miles On Movies, or is it Movies On Miles?

P.S. Everybody, I had a rich "culcha vulcha" experience today, three different events. Jonah Raskin querying Erik Davis on Erik's "Visionary California" book at the Sonoma County Museum. The art opening at A Street Gallery and open houses / openings at three neighboring galleries. And "Batacha" (Salsa) at the Forestville Club. I must have had at least eight engaging, sophisticated and very enjoyable conversations over the course of the afternoon and evening. I'm knackered. I hope to write a little something more about it, soon.