tieman64 "Won't Back Down" stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis as a pair of women who attempt to transform a failing public school. Though faced with complacent teachers, corrupt principals and intractable unions, the duo succeed in using "parent trigger laws" to form a "charter school". Such schools wrestle administrative control away from the state and toward other concerned parties.A number of recent films have touted the merits of charter schools ("The Lottery", "Waiting for Superman", "The Cartel" etc). Most of these films are funded by millionaires, billionaires and conservative lobbying groups. All present charter schools as being "good alternatives" to "inept government schools" and their "corrupt teachers' unions". In reality, though, charter schools have become yet another means of further monetising society, many run for profit by corporations who have become expert at siphoning public money. Though conceived with good intentions – to provide more power and freedom to teachers – these schools have increasingly become a tool to break up public education, offer lucrative supply contracts to partner companies and rake in profits.Unsurprisingly, most of these films delight in attacking teachers. Teachers, who are faced with increasingly slashed salaries and pensions, and who have repeatedly had their collective bargaining rights weakened (or outright abolished), are presented as villains. Rather than factors like poverty and under-funding, "failing schools" are exclusively "their fault". The cure? More privatisation. This has been standard operating procedure for several decades: make sure things don't work, wait for people to get angry and then hand the reigns over to private capital."Won't Back Down" is engaging, well-shot and features wonderful performances by Davis and Gyllenhaal. Like most films which pretend to be about "social issues" and "the contemporary problems of ordinary Americans", it is also superficial, sanitised, kowtows to the status quo and was funded by those with a clear agenda (conservative billionaires Rupert Murdoch and Philip Anschtuz). Today, the homogeneity of both the classroom and cinema are in many ways a result of similar systems of financing, distribution and exclusivity; capitalism's organisational models breed specific outcomes. The film co-stars Oscar Isaac and Holly Hunter. Both play unionists who learn the errors of their ways. Sneaky.7.5/10 – See "Half Nelson" and "Detachment".

pc95 Suffice to write that "Won't Back Down", directed by Daniel Bartz, is a movie about educational reform, and one that is fair and satisfactory. Problem is it's also a snoozer. It runs a long feeling 121 min, and features at least 3 or 4 side stories that don't really mesh well together and detract from the focus to some extent. There have been quite a few classroom dramas over the years, some better, and some worse than this one. Gyllanthal brings her zeal and strong energy to her part and is nicely paired with Viola Davis, who strangely at times looks a little confused or out-of-place in some scenes. This might be poor direction. Anyway, there are the requisite feel-good moments, and not much to keep you guessing. This one gets around 5.5/10 - it's watchable and has some good moments - perhaps best was the scene about 2/3 through with Holly Hunter's character deflating Gyllanthal at one point. There are a few other good scenes, but some focus would've greatly helped this movie.

capone666 Won't Back DownThe hardest part about taking on a corrupt educational system is you having to raise your hand to ask permission to go to the washroom during talks.However, the angry mothers in this drama are sans hall pass.After noticing a lack of teaching at her daughter's (Emily Alyn Lind) school, concerned parent Jamie (Maggie Gyllenhaal) confronts her daughter's teacher.Disturbed by the educator's apathy, Jamie takes her issues to the principal (Bill Nunn), but to no avail.While attending a progressive education seminar, Jamie spots a teacher, Nona (Viola Davis), from Malia's school there.Assuming an affinity for change, Jamie convinces Nona to help her take over the school.A contrived concoction of real-life situations and Hollywood melodrama, Won't Back Down is plagued by easy answers and self-righteousness indignation.Besides, how are teachers supposed to teach kids math when they're already busy potty- training and disciplining them for the parents?(Red Light)vidiotreviews.blogspot.ca

Vasiliy Brian Komendant Reading some of the reviews here and elsewhere I was getting a feeling some people simply saw another film under the same title for I don't have another plausible explanation for the shortsightedness and narrow-mindedness of some.The film is stunning in its emotional impact, immaculately written and stupendously directed, with incredible one-shots, meticulously motivated hand-helds, color nuances (overlooked by many) and above all breathtakingly thorough and subtle work with the cast. In the world of "block-and-shoots" and gimmicky self-indulgent "me-me-me's" this rare old school picture stands out and certainly makes many uncomfortable for it appeals to something buried under layers of tweets, pretense, status, rat races and such - the human heart. Human connection. This is the most life-affirming American film I have seen in over a decade without it getting too preachy, cheesy or boring. No chemistry between Maggie and Viola? That comment is beyond me. They are so different, they are so raw and painfully believable on their own, that their union gains power via this deliberate diversity of their characters. There is not a single face in a single frame that is not totally "there", the committed "non-background" nature of supporting cast and extras makes an incredibly detailed background, full of nuance, ever breathing and alive. As is every shot of the film.The last comment I will afford regards the union matter. First if all - if someone really believes this movie is about unions (or against them) - I have nothing to tell them. They will be as deaf to my voice as they are to the writers'/director's which tells a story of mother's love, standing up for your rights, having hope and faith and moving mountains if necessary - if the loved one needs that. The school is just a background for all that to unfold, a setting, a subplot to me. Performances are Oscar-worthy, I could go on for pages and scene by scene describe the beauty and power of them (alas, only 1000 characters here). And one more word on the union issue - what makes this film so impactive and real is how valid both points are and how the film's creators made sure that nothing about that is black and white and took time to support and justify both.So, if you are not ashamed to cry in a theater, if you are ready to embark on an emotional journey, if you are not afraid to think and doubt - go see this brilliant work of art.