Freelance Writers: The Taste and Power of Change

Madelyn 2022-03-24 09:02:24

(Written by Zhi Ning on June 6, 2007)
Just looking at the poster of the 2007 American film "Freelance Writer", it is clear that Hilary Swank, the two-time Oscar winner, is the absolute star of the film, but after watching it, I didn't feel that, It is undeniable that the role of the female teacher Ian Grouvel played by her is the core of the whole film, but it is a little eclipsed by comprehensive consideration and comparison.
Hilary Swank, who looks like a "man-in-law", has not been very fond of Hilary Swank. Recently, she is busy with transformation when she has enough "MAN", such as the "slut look" in the film "Black Dahlia". The model teacher Ai En's "spring wind and rain" image shows people, although there is a breakthrough, but the measure is still not enough, some scenes are handled in a stylized, single, facialized way, lacking enough psychological representation and sense of hierarchy, strict Speaking (who wants her to be the queen), the overall feeling doesn't seem to be as impressive as some of the supporting roles.
Many students in the film are played by non-professionals. Compared with their natural and brilliant performances, Swank inevitably lacks bright spots. She only seems to show a gratifying smile (it's a signature big laugh). Also, she didn't have a role in Desperate Housewives as Imelda Staunton (she also played the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix") who played the nasty Mrs. Harper, in the film Imelda Staunton played the role of Ain's chief supervisor, an old-school teacher representative with 30 years of teaching experience and habitual thinking... Perhaps, these are all my harsh demands on Swank. To be honest, she still has some scenes. The performance is good, such as the understanding and subtext shown by her surprised and sad expression when the students play the "online" game, and the spiritual and affectionate relationship with her father (Scott Grayney). communication, etc.
"Freelance Writer", also known as "Street Writer", is also generally regarded as the 21st century version of "Blackboard Jungle". The film is adapted from real events, and perhaps it is precisely because of its authenticity that it has a shaking and profound power. Of course, some of the plots of the film are suspected of being sensational, but fortunately there are not many, not to mention that due to many factors, the ability of Chinese audiences to withstand sensationalism is already very strong.
After the black youth Rodney King incident, Ain, a female teacher born in the wealthy class, very idealistic, and new to the school, taught in an ethnically mixed class at Welsh Middle School in Long Beach, California. At first, the students regarded her as nothing. Or ridiculed and ridiculed. After several investigations, Ain gradually realized the psychological shadow and impact of racial discrimination, poverty, helplessness and indifference and exile on these children. Depressed teens grow into compassionate and socially responsible people, while female teacher Ain transforms from a rookie teacher to a true soul engineer who can heal the soul.
It can be said that "Freedom Writer" quite sharply reflects the status quo of part of the lower-level society in the United States, detailing the education and survival problems of the lower-level teenagers whose lives are filled with poverty, injustice, racial violence, family division, and gang struggle. This time, Richard LaGravenes, the screenwriter of "Long Dreams of the Covered Bridge", no longer created a beautiful dream, but derived a real and sad human drama.
In the film, when Ain finally uses a special way (letting students write their own stories) to get students to talk about their upbringing, neglected emotions and despised self-esteem, the film begins to enter the climax stage... Ai When En intercepts a racial caricature circulating in the classroom, she begins to realize the problem. She asks the students if they know about the Holocaust. Only one white student (Hunter Parry) raises his hand, and when When she asked who had been shot, all the Afro-Asian-Latino students raised their hands except for the white student... There is also a very important plot in the film. Ain drew a red line in the classroom and asked for gangs in turn. Students in the background, who were in prison, and who had one or more of their friends shot stand on the line, and the audience sees these kids stand over and over again, especially as they meditate on the line with the names of their dead friends When the ice in their hearts began to melt... Ain also fully understood that murderous violence, racial discrimination and even hatred were the source of the students' anger and rebellion.
Ain bought diaries to send to students, encouraged them to write their own "Annie Diaries," and self-funded a trip away from Long Beach to visit a museum commemorating the Holocaust, and invited Holocaust survivors to chat with students, at his own expense Buy meaningful books for students... The children gradually revealed in their diaries their seemingly cynical and foul-mouthed fears, loneliness and scarred side, while using the pen to talk and open their hearts, the pressure on their hearts The cloud began to lighten and dissipate.
There are also particularly difficult students, such as Ava (April Lee Hernandez), who is also a key clue in the film, a gangster Latino girl who witnessed her father's wrongful imprisonment as a child. And she has recently become a front-end witness to a shooting, and her classmate, a Cambodian refugee (played by Galin Negan), happens to be there. In order to save her father in prison, Eva must give perjury... However, Ain's influence put her in a dilemma, and finally, Eva withstood the test of morality and conscience, and told the truth in court , even though she was beaten by gangsters and ignored by her father, she had Ain's understanding and support, and gained the respect and friendship of her Cambodian classmates.
Ion Grouvel approached the confused kids in the fall of 1994, and in reality the kids organized a fundraising concert called Echoes of the Soul in 1997, using the money raised to pay for a tour to Washington and brought his diary to the Secretary of Education. Later, they also traveled to New York, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and Sarajevo to experience the life described in the books their teachers gave them. In 2002, Ian Gruwell and these grown-up "freelance writers" established the Iron Gruwell Education Project (EGEP) to help teenagers across the United States who share their experiences. .
In the film, Ain always mentions the word "change", such as "the taste of change". Those students who have tried to change the taste have gained new strength and embarked on a meaningful life path.
By the way, everything in the film involving Ain and her husband (Patrick Dipsey) is boring, and the man who is leaving Ain after accumulating so much dissatisfaction looks very different, although there is a lot of talk about their changing relationship. There are not many scenes, but it is still not smooth enough, and lacks the courage to be concise and comprehensive.
( http://nicolew.blog.hexun.com/9865175_d.html )

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Extended Reading

Freedom Writers quotes

  • Gloria: Miss Gruwell, he just took my damn bag!

  • Marcus: That Miep Gies lady, the one that help hide her, I like her. I got all these other books about her from the library.

    Erin Gruwell: Wow, you used your library card?

    Marcus: Nah...