Freedom Writers

Hilary Swank, one of my favorite actresses, has a wonderful smile—a big, toothy entity that exudes joy in bucketloads. As much as I love seeing it, director Richard LaGravenese should’ve instructed her to take it down a notch for Freedom Writers, a big-hearted movie done in by an uncharacteristically overdone performance by Swank, as well as a script, based on actual events, that feels a little too cute for comfort. Swank plays a real-life teacher who helped inspire inner-city, at-risk students to eschew the gang lifestyle for academic pursuits. While the actual story is uplifting, and the book it’s based upon is probably a compelling read, the big-screen adaptation feels too cutesy. Patrick Dempsey plays Swank’s put-upon husband while Imelda Staunton plays a senior teacher who thinks Swank’s teacher is nothing but a hotshot. This is a well-meaning movie plagued by clichés and overdone emotions.

Freedom Writers is not showing in any theaters in the area.

Cast information not available at this time.
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