'WAITING FOR 'SUPERMAN'': Four Stars (Out of Five)
Director Davis Guggenheim (director of such acclaimed documentaries as 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH' and 'IT MIGHT GET LOUD') directs this examination of American public education and it's major problems. It's written by Guggenheim and Billy Kimball. The film garnered a 2010 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award but failed to receive an Oscar nomination, which I think is a crime. It was a great year for documentaries, making it a tough category, but I know it's better than at least some of the other nominated films this year but then again all of my favorites are (with the exceptions of 'EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP' and 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH').
The film focuses on a select group of kids and follows them through their experiences in school. It cuts between interviews with the children and people in school positions wanting to make a difference as well as those presenting an opposition to improvement in the education system. It presents a lot of statistics as well as undeniable video evidence of many of the blatant failures in the system that can not be corrected due to the tenure program and the teacher's union. This is where the film points almost all of it's blame for most of the education problems in America, proving that it's not the students that can't be educated but the teachers (at least some), and the system that protects them, who are unwilling to educate them. It shows how many kids and families place all their dreams on charter schools, which have been proved to work miracles, but their dreams are left up to chance (the schools' lotto systems).
The movie is extremely depressing and at times difficult to watch. It has moments of beautiful inspiration as well but we see how many fight to reform public education and always lose out to a tired and abused system. It does highly promote a website and a phone number to text at the end of the film so viewers can get involved and make a difference though. The directing is a little ineffective at times, with too many cartoons and poorly chosen music but it builds to a pretty strong conclusion. For the most part it's very educational and involving but due to some poorly constructed scenes it does drag from time to time, especially in the beginning. There are some genuinely touching moments, truly hilarious ones (a few) and heart breaking scenes as well. It's one everyone should see.
Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYO6EVQKyVs
Director Davis Guggenheim (director of such acclaimed documentaries as 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH' and 'IT MIGHT GET LOUD') directs this examination of American public education and it's major problems. It's written by Guggenheim and Billy Kimball. The film garnered a 2010 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award but failed to receive an Oscar nomination, which I think is a crime. It was a great year for documentaries, making it a tough category, but I know it's better than at least some of the other nominated films this year but then again all of my favorites are (with the exceptions of 'EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP' and 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH').
The film focuses on a select group of kids and follows them through their experiences in school. It cuts between interviews with the children and people in school positions wanting to make a difference as well as those presenting an opposition to improvement in the education system. It presents a lot of statistics as well as undeniable video evidence of many of the blatant failures in the system that can not be corrected due to the tenure program and the teacher's union. This is where the film points almost all of it's blame for most of the education problems in America, proving that it's not the students that can't be educated but the teachers (at least some), and the system that protects them, who are unwilling to educate them. It shows how many kids and families place all their dreams on charter schools, which have been proved to work miracles, but their dreams are left up to chance (the schools' lotto systems).
The movie is extremely depressing and at times difficult to watch. It has moments of beautiful inspiration as well but we see how many fight to reform public education and always lose out to a tired and abused system. It does highly promote a website and a phone number to text at the end of the film so viewers can get involved and make a difference though. The directing is a little ineffective at times, with too many cartoons and poorly chosen music but it builds to a pretty strong conclusion. For the most part it's very educational and involving but due to some poorly constructed scenes it does drag from time to time, especially in the beginning. There are some genuinely touching moments, truly hilarious ones (a few) and heart breaking scenes as well. It's one everyone should see.
Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYO6EVQKyVs