Freedom Writers

Play trailer

2:16

Freedom Writers

PG-13

2007

2h 3m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

Crime

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

124 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

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.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Kat Halstead

Little White Lies

Feb 27, 2007

3/5

You'll be embarrassed, sad, happy then exhausted.

Go to Full Review

Anna Smith

BBC.com

Feb 27, 2007

3/5

Has its inspiring moments - especially given the true story - and some tense, dramatic scenes amid the speedy montages of confusing gang action.

Go to Full Review

Liz Moody

Empire Magazine

Feb 27, 2007

2/5

Despite solid work from the engaging cast, there's nothing new here to distinguish Freedom Writers as anything beyond a C+.

Go to Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Aug 19, 2023

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.

Go to Full Review

James Croot

The Post NZ

Oct 21, 2022

3.5/5

This film delivered an injection of fresh ideas into a stale genre.

Go to Full Review

Kaleem Aftab

The List

Nov 3, 2018

3/5

A touching performance from Hilary Swank ensures that Freedom Writers is not just another tripe genre movie.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

treeart Z

@RT18173845 Oct 6, 2026

早期的伪3d动画，但很显然没有做好，动作表情太僵硬

See more

Cammy S

@cameron.scott Oct 5, 2026

Inspirational and moving.

See more

Jasmine W

@jasniquejewels Aug 31, 2026

inspirational moving and impacting.

See more

LV F

@RT56654992 Aug 19, 2026

This movie is solid and one of my favorites! It makes you think through other people's perspective on racial wars. And how it is possible to unite different cultures under pressure.. It's not just one persons story, but several. Regardless of the reviews from the critics, it's a great movie and in my collection.

See more

Austin G.

@Horrorislife Jun 23, 2026

This movie is moving and inspirational. It shows that it doesn’t matter where you come from this is rook for everyone to grow and prosper.

See more

andrea C

@Charst May 25, 2026

Film emozionante, che non ha paura di prendersi momenti di puro dramma melenso e di affrontarli di petto, con una protagonista perfetta soldatessa per la causa con i sani e saldi principi che porta avanti senza mai avere paure e ripensamenti. Probabilmente, oltre alle storie degli studenti e al buon rapporto creato tra vita privata e professionale della protagonista, ad essere vincente è soprattutto il connubio che si crea tra riscatto sociale dei ragazzi e storia dell'Olocausto; due mondi lontanissimi ma allo stesso modo drammatici che si uniscono per creare un prodotto di riscatto sociale che colpisce nel segno ed emoziona, senza paura di essere troppo melodrammatico.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Richard LaGravenese

Director

Hilary Swank

Erin Gruwell

Patrick Dempsey

Scott

Scott Glenn

Steve

Imelda Staunton

Margaret Campbell

April L. Hernandez

Eva

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - We Mattered

2:06

Now Playing

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - You Are Not Failing

1:35

Now Playing

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - You Don't Even Like Them

2:13

Now Playing

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - Paco Did It

2:05

Now Playing

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - I Am Home

2:01

Now Playing

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - When Will I Be Free?

1:54

Now Playing

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - You Are The Heroes

2:05

Now Playing

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - Not So Different

1:45

Now Playing

Freedom Writers: Official Clip - I Saw the War for the First Time

1:27

Now Playing

View more videos

Coach Carter

63%

85%

Coach Carter

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Coach Carter

The Class

95%

82%

The Class

Watchlist

The Secret Life of Bees

60%

78%

The Secret Life of Bees

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Secret Life of Bees

The Last Sin Eater

22%

72%

The Last Sin Eater

Watchlist

Starting Out in the Evening

89%

70%

Starting Out in the Evening

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Box Office Guru Preview: Captain Jack and Captain Morgan Set Sail

Paramount, MTV Doing Bong Hits 4 Jesus

Box Office Guru Wrapup: "Stomp" Steps All Over New Releases

Freedom Writers: Trailer 1

2:16

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

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: Double Feature Films, Paramount Pictures, Jersey Films, MTV Films
Rating: PG-13 (Some Thematic Material|Language|Violent Content)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller, Comedy, Crime
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)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings