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Freedom Writers
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Metascore
64 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 43 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Hilary Swank, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey
  • Summary: Based on a true story and the diaries of real Long Beach teenagers after the L.A. riots, Freedom Writers is an inspirational tale and testimony to courage hope and the human spirit's triumph over intolerance. (Paramount)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Scott Foundas
    80
    It all sounds like a recipe for the most noxious liberal jerk-off movie since "Crash," but in the hands of writer-director Richard LaGravenese, Freedom Writers turns out to be a superb piece of mainstream entertainment -- not an agonized debate over the principles of modern education à la "The History Boys," but a simple, straightforward and surprisingly affecting story of one woman who managed to make a difference.
  2. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Wilmington
    75
    Hilary Swank gives a powerhouse performance as a maverick high school teacher in Freedom Writers, an often gripping and sometimes even inspiring film drama taken from the real-life story of Erin Gruwell.
  3. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Desson Thomson
    60
    It offers a sort of Chinese food poignancy, the kind that may seem satisfying at the time but ultimately leaves us hungering for more, for something authentic.

See all 29 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 27
  3. Negative: 1 out of 27
  1. FreshB.
    10
    Word up homies i seen a lot from da hood and its all about claiming property. This movie is dope as HELL! Live strong.
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  2. AndrewK.
    5
    This movie was pretty entertaining. Nothing special. It had its moments. One of the better aspects of this film was that the students seemed very real. A lot of movies like this make the kids come off as unrealistic, but I felt the kids were a lot like people I went to high school with. Hilary Swank was good, as always. I found the aspect of her character's husband leaving her to be very telling. I've learned over the years that people tend to be very selfish in relationships, and that's why so many marriages fail. Obviously, this was based on true events, so it was interesting to see that part of the story. This one's not going to win any awards, but it was a well made film.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. ChadS.
    3
    "Freedom Writers" is a story that should rightfully be told...in the form of a documentary. As vanity projects go, this earnest telling of an extraordinary teacher and her second chance pupils isn't "Battlefield Earth"-bad, but it's close. You get the sense that these inner-city kids have good hearts, however, the portrayal of their lives seem too sanitized to achieve versimilitude. At times, the film feels like "Boyz in the Hood" as rendered by the PAX network. There's also an odd episode or two that is more documentary than drama, which is an odd mix since the film makes no attempt at realism. This well-meaning film tries too hard to grab our hearts. The success and redemption of these hard-knock kids is somewhat blunted by an unwillingness on the filmmaker's part to be more objective about its subject.… Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes

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