Film Analysis: Freedom Writers

“No matter what race we are, what ethnic background, sexual orientation or what views we may have, we are all human. Unfortunately not all humans see it that way” (Gruwell, Erin. The Freedom). Throughout history there has been discrimination, but in 1992 there was one of the most destructive outbursts against it: The Los Angeles Riots of 1992. After the Los Angeles Riots of 1992, there was an outpouring of gangs and the violence the riots created. Unfortunately this surge of violence made its way into the United States education system, especially in Long Beach, California (Kronenwetter). The 2007 film Freedom Writers depicts the life 150 kids are living after the LA Riots. In this Humanitas Prize and Image Award nominated film, Hilary Swank

The film begins after the gruesome Los Angeles Riots of 1992. The riots cause an uproar of gangs within the school along with beginning an integration program at the high-achieving Wilson High. After the integration program was set in place many white kids begin to leave the school, leaving the “dumb” integrated kids. Being that many of the teachers are white, a majority are against the integration program. And the white teachers believe that the diverse kids left were “unteachable and at-risk kids” until a young teacher started at Woodrow High. Erin Gruwell comes to Woodrow High to experience the diversity with the goal to make good of it. Freedom Writers is a beautiful true story of what these multicultural kids faced after the riots and the teacher who was willing to work hard to help them succeed and ultimately make it to

The video displays the violence in a way that was heart wrenching to the viewer. All the viewer hears is a car alarm and explosions, and to the viewers dismay they see the destruction people are causing. In real life at this time President Bush is in house, and his views on the riots were not displayed in the film, although they changed the perspective for many. In a real speech—not any part of the movie— President George Bush blamed the welfare programs of the 1960’s and 70’s for the outburst of violence. This angered many because participants or supporters of the riots believed a completely different story. The supporters told the media that the riots were the only thing that drew national attention to their needs. People that analyzed the riots also pointed their finger to the “high unemployment, failed education, general racism, alienation in the culture, poor police relations and preparations, and decades of deterioration in the south central neighborhoods of California as the cause of this violence”