Description

Based on actual people and events, this 2007 drama portrays the gripping journey of a novice teacher and her high school class of at-risk inner-city teenagers not long after the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Facing a hostile environment of racial tension and gang violence, idealistic but inexperienced Erin Gruwell struggles to connect with her students, then begins learning about their battles to survive in a daily combat zone. As she builds trust and tries to enlarge their bleak world, she encounters chilly indifference, even animosity from her fellow teachers, as well as misgivings from her family. But a determined “Ms. G” persists, helping her kids find their voices—and hope for a brighter future. Stars Hillary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey, and young street-wise actors.