Freedom Writers | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

70% Tomatometer 126 Reviews 87% Audience Score 250,000+ Ratings

A dedicated teacher (Hilary Swank) in a racially divided Los Angeles school has a class of at-risk teenagers deemed incapable of learning. Instead of giving up, she inspires her students to take an interest in their education and planning their future. She assigns reading material that relates to their lives and encourages them all to keep journals. Read More Read Less

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Freedom Writers

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Critics Consensus

Freedom Writers is a frank, formulaic entry in the inspirational inner-city teacher genre, with an energetic Hilary Swank leading the appealing cast of unknowns.

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Critics Reviews

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Freedom Writers | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Kat Halstead Little White Lies You'll be embarrassed, sad, happy then exhausted. Rated: 3/5 Feb 27, 2007 Full Review Freedom Writers | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Anna Smith BBC.com Has its inspiring moments - especially given the true story - and some tense, dramatic scenes amid the speedy montages of confusing gang action. Rated: 3/5 Feb 27, 2007 Full Review Freedom Writers | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Liz Moody Empire Magazine Despite solid work from the engaging cast, there's nothing new here to distinguish Freedom Writers as anything beyond a C+. Rated: 2/5 Feb 27, 2007 Full Review Freedom Writers | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand LaGravenese tends to simplify and lean on the melodrama but he tells the stories of the students with compassion, notably Eve (April Lee Hernandez), who has grown up in a war zone of an inner city defined by ethnic boundaries. Aug 19, 2023 Full Review Freedom Writers | Rotten Tomatoes (5) James Croot Stuff.co.nz This film delivered an injection of fresh ideas into a stale genre. Rated: 3.5/5 Oct 21, 2022 Full Review Freedom Writers | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Kaleem Aftab The List A touching performance from Hilary Swank ensures that Freedom Writers is not just another tripe genre movie. Rated: 3/5 Nov 3, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Yash B "Freedom Writers" is a great movie that really feels like a tribute to the great teachers of the world. I think it is a movie that has a wide appeal and is very entertaining. I think it highlights the importance of writing and self-expression and that is something I personally just think I can resonate with. I think Hilary Swank is also great in this movie and I think the storylines just kept my interest and also were very engaging. Overall, it is a movie that touched me multiple times and I think it is an inspiring story that most could benefit from watching. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/01/24 Full Review Jeff M Good intentions, couple touching scenes, but unconvincing protagonist and horribly one-dimensional supporting characters, weak ending, very predictable. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/24 Full Review Jasmine M In the film " freedom writers" director Richard LaGravenese tells the tale of a dedicated high school teacher eager to teach a group of at-risk teenagers. The teacher's (Ms. Gruwell)plans for the students to succeed in life, at first teaching them was hectic but as the months go by students understood her intentions and began to come to class and actually wanted to learn. I was particularly struck by one scene in which the teacher (Ms. Gruwell) introduces the students to an activity to start off class. Before class, she places a red line going down the middle of the room. The students walked in a bit confused but eventually, they listened to what she was planning on. Ms. Gruwell began to ask simple questions and students were fond of it, by each time she asked a question, it gets more personal. The emotions were high and you can tell how the game and the questions she asked impacted their point of view on each other. The whole point of this game was for students to relate and connect to each other on a sentimental level. I recommend this movie to anyone interested because it shows how all the kids really needed was a teacher who actually cared about them and someone who could care less and give up the first week. Since the first week of teaching that class, Ms. Gruwell was determined to make a change and was highly eager to make her students graduate. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/28/23 Full Review Shock Therapy R First of all: true story. But not a Pollyanna story. She loses her husband over her conviction for others. She fights the power dynamics, but in a respectful way. But more importantly, she fought and won the hearts and minds of her cohort class. This is a beautiful story. Now I'm going to go read what's wrong with 30% of RT on this one. Such harsh grading despite the literal blood, sweat, and tears. What does it take for your passing score? Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Lina's b I totally loved this movie, i wasn't interested in watching it at first sigh though. But after starting it and in the very first minutes of it i was captivated and it gained all my curiosity about how the story would end for all these attaching characters with such awful and rude lives. Yet i still think that the director could've put more effort into showing more of their backstories and not just skipping from year to year. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Qasim R One of the best movie I ever watched in my life , really meant it. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/01/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Richard LaGravenese Director Hilary Swank Erin Gruwell Patrick Dempsey Scott Scott Glenn Steve Imelda Staunton Margaret Campbell April L. Hernandez Eva
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Freedom Writers

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - We Mattered Freedom Writers: Official Clip - We Mattered 2:06 Freedom Writers: Official Clip - You Are Not Failing Freedom Writers: Official Clip - You Are Not Failing 1:35 Freedom Writers: Official Clip - You Don't Even Like Them Freedom Writers: Official Clip - You Don't Even Like Them 2:13 Freedom Writers: Official Clip - Paco Did It Freedom Writers: Official Clip - Paco Did It 2:05 Freedom Writers: Official Clip - I Am Home Freedom Writers: Official Clip - I Am Home 2:01 Freedom Writers: Official Clip - When Will I Be Free? Freedom Writers: Official Clip - When Will I Be Free? 1:54 Freedom Writers: Official Clip - You Are The Heroes Freedom Writers: Official Clip - You Are The Heroes 2:05 Freedom Writers: Official Clip - Not So Different Freedom Writers: Official Clip - Not So Different 1:45 Freedom Writers: Official Clip - I Saw the War for the First Time Freedom Writers: Official Clip - I Saw the War for the First Time 1:27 View more videos

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Synopsis A dedicated teacher (Hilary Swank) in a racially divided Los Angeles school has a class of at-risk teenagers deemed incapable of learning. Instead of giving up, she inspires her students to take an interest in their education and planning their future. She assigns reading material that relates to their lives and encourages them all to keep journals.

Director
Richard LaGravenese

Producer
Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher

Screenwriter
Richard LaGravenese

Distributor
Paramount Pictures

Production Co
MTV Films, Jersey Films, Double Feature Films, Paramount Pictures

Rating
PG-13 (Some Thematic Material|Language|Violent Content)

Genre
Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 5, 2007, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 15, 2011

Box Office (Gross USA)
$36.6M

Runtime
2h 3m

Sound Mix
Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS

Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
Most Popular at Home Now
Freedom Writers | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

How accurate is the Freedom Writers? ›

Erin Gruwell, the teacher portrayed in the movie, used innovative teaching methods to break down barriers in a racially divided school. The film accurately reflects the personal sacrifices Gruwell made in her commitment to teaching, including the strain it put on her marriage.

Did the Freedom Writers meet Miep Gies? ›

With funds raised by a "Read-a-thon for Tolerance", they arranged for Miep Gies, the Dutch woman who sheltered the Frank family, to visit them in California during the 1994/1995 school year, where she declared that Erin Gruwell's students were "the real heroes." Their efforts have paid off spectacularly, both in terms ...

What was Eva's story in Freedom Writers? ›

Eva is a member of a Latino gang who joins Erin Gruwell's English class at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. Through her interactions with Ms. Gruwell and her peers, Eva begins to question her loyalty to her gang and to reexamine her values and beliefs.

What is Freedom Writers rated? ›

Freedom Writers [2006] [PG-13] - 2.7.

What is the main problem in Freedom Writers? ›

Summary: In both The Freedom Writers Diary and the film Freedom Writers, the main challenges and conflicts revolve around issues of racial tension, gang violence, and educational inequality.

Did any of the Freedom Writers become successful? ›

In the years that followed, many of them attended college, began successful careers, and established families of their own. Now, more than 20 years later, they are changing the world as teachers, volunteers, writers, architects, nurses, and techies. The Freedom Writers and Ms. G remain close to this day.

What is the relationship between Miep Gies and Anne Frank? ›

She became a close, trusted friend of the Frank family and was a great support to them during the twenty-five months they spent in hiding.

What did Miep Gies give to Otto Frank? ›

Miep hands the diary to Otto

In the end, Otto would stay with Jan and Miep for more than seven years. When it became clear in mid-July 1945 that Anne had died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, Miep handed the diary papers to Otto.

Why was The Freedom Writers Diary banned? ›

The board deemed 'The Freedom Writers Diary' by Erin Gruwell and 'Crown of Midnight' by Sarah Maas age-inappropriate. 'The Freedom Writers Diary' is made up of essays from Gruwell's students and is the basis for the 2007 film 'Freedom Writers. ' The book was limited to use by teachers only.

What happened to Eva at the end of Freedom Writers? ›

Afterward, Eva is attacked and threatened by her gang members but is ultimately spared because of her father as she moves in with her aunt for safety. Meanwhile, Erin asks her students to write their diaries in book form. She compiles the entries and names it The Freedom Writers Diary.

Who was the Holocaust survivor in Freedom Writers? ›

Renee Firestone: Self - The Holocaust Survivor.

What does Erin's dad think of her job Freedom Writers? ›

In the beginning Erin's father didn't really supported her in her choice to be a teacher. Especially not in this area because the kids here are known for being troublemakers and not really care for their education. He wanted her to be a loyer.

What do Erin's pearls symbolize in Freedom Writers? ›

What are three status symbols found in the movie? - Erin's pearls symbolize the wealth of her father, being as they were a gift from him. - Erin's wedding ring symbolizes that she is married. - The tattoos on the Holocaust survivor's arms symbolize their status as Jew.

What is the point of the movie Freedom Writers? ›

While based on a true story in which "at-risk" students of color learn to value their self worth and their futures with the help of an idealistic young white teacher, the movie also clearly falls into the "white savior narrative." That said, students find ways to discover their inner strength and a way to express ...

Is Freedom Writers based off a true story? ›

Freedom Writers is based on the true story of teacher Erin Gruwell (played by Hillary Swank). And though it's more about racial conflict than education, the film still provides some choice fodder for the movie-loving Gadfly's rumination.

Did any of the Freedom Writers graduate college? ›

Ultimately, all 150 Freedom Writers earned a high school diploma, resulting in a record number of graduating seniors at Wilson up to that point. Most went on to college, and more than half now have college degrees.

Is freedom with writing legit? ›

Is Freedom With Writing a Scam? No, Freedom with Writing is not a scam. If you're trying to make money online as a writer, it's a good list to be on. I've never made money from any of its recommendations myself, but that's because I've very rarely acted on the postings.

Is The Freedom Writers Diary based on a true story? ›

It is based on the 1999 book The Freedom Writers Diary by teacher Erin Gruwell and students who compiled the book out of real diary entries about their lives that they wrote in their English class at Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach, California.

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