Won't Back Down

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Won't Back Down

PG

2012

2h 1m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

34%

Tomatometer

104 Reviews

61%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Jamie Fitzpatrick and Nona Alberts are two women from opposite sides of the social and economic track, but they have one thing in common: a mission to fix their community's broken school and ensure a bright future for their children. The two women refuse to let any obstacles stand in their way as they battle a bureaucracy that's hopelessly mired in traditional thinking, and they seek to re-energize a faculty that has lost its passion for teaching.

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Critics Consensus

Despite the best efforts of its talented leads, Won't Back Down fails to lend sufficient dramatic heft or sophistication to the hot-button issue of education reform.

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Keith Uhlich

Time Out

Jul 9, 2026

1/5

The film point[s] a fanatically accusatory finger at teachers’ unions while using twisted Obama-esque sloganeering about "order" and "hope" to further its simplistically anticollectivist agenda.

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London Evening Standard

Jan 25, 2013

2/5

More anti-union propaganda masquerading as entertainment.

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Joseph Walsh

Little White Lies

Jan 24, 2013

3/5

A straight-talking, partisan account about the failings of a broken system and a band of women who argued for better for their children.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Sep 27, 2020

3.0/4.0

Focuses on solving problems rather than assigning blame.

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Ellie Lucas

From the Front Row

Aug 6, 2019

1.5/4

A film of bumper sticker emotions, rather than ideas that might actually be helpful.

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Kelly Jane Torrance

Washington Examiner

Dec 20, 2018

2.5/4

This is a gripping story, with only a few moments of awkwardness as policy details and pros and cons are explained.

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown Apr 13, 2024

If you're a teacher, Won't Back Down might hit home...if not it might make you a little queasy. Maggie's schmaltzy and Viola plays her normal role.

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Aug 4, 2018

As a teacher highly recommend watching.

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Jul 20, 2016

Another movie that proves a stellar cast always comes out on top. I feel like movies like this have been told a million times & the subject matter here is fairly boring, but with leads like Maggie Gyllenhaal & Viola Davis - even I couldn't leave till it finished.

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Feb 23, 2016

The movie means well with decent performances but suffers from a bland script and bad direction. It isn't engaging at all. I seen a lot of good movies like this. Won't back down doesn't make the grade.

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Nov 11, 2015

This movie haded it's ups and downs, but it was good acted and was an angaging story. Sometimes it fell of topic, I did not know what was going on, and sometimes I think they take it over the limit for the school laws. As that being said I give " Won't Back Down " a Solid C-.

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Sep 17, 2015

Verklighetsbaserad och peppig story!

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Daniel Barnz

Director

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Jamie Fitzpatrick

Viola Davis

Nona Alberts

Holly Hunter

Evelyn Riske

Oscar Isaac

Michael Perry

Rosie Perez

Breena Harper

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Parental Guidance: Taken 2 and Won’t Back Down

Critics Consensus: Looper Is Certified Fresh

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Synopsis

Jamie Fitzpatrick and Nona Alberts are two women from opposite sides of the social and economic track, but they have one thing in common: a mission to fix their community's broken school and ensure a bright future for their children. The two women refuse to let any obstacles stand in their way as they battle a bureaucracy that's hopelessly mired in traditional thinking, and they seek to re-energize a faculty that has lost its passion for teaching.

Director: Daniel Barnz
Producer: Mark Johnson
Screenwriter: Brin Hill, Daniel Barnz
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Gran Via
Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 28, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.2M
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, Datasat
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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