Released in Theaters: 10/8/2010 (Limited)
Waiting for Superman, directed by Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, It Might Get Loud), is a moving documentary about the failure of the public school system. The film follows several young kids of different races in different parts of the country, and how each is affected by the school systems and the teachers who are a part of them. The film acts like The Cove or Food Inc. of the year, without the originality, as it takes a touchy subject and tries to get you the viewer to make a difference. It doesn’t quite succeed as a great piece of art like those other documentaries but it surely does it’s job at pulling at the heart strings, mostly because of the innocent little kids it chose to follow. It will most likely go down as one of the better documentations of the year and front-runner for the Oscar.
Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim reminds us that education has it affects on kids, especially Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily, whose stories make up the engrossing foundation of the film. As he follows a handful of promising kids through a system that inhibits, rather than encourages, academic growth, Guggenheim undertakes an exhaustive review of public education, surveying “drop-out factories” and “academic sinkholes,” methodically dissecting the system and its many problems.
This documentary for the most part is very entertaining. it seems like every year there is at least one documentary that will end up being a crowd favorite that your normal movie-goer would possibly even go see in theaters. It uses several tactics that have made similar films like Fahrenheit 9/11 and Super Size Me very effective. It doesn’t have the quite the voice that Michael Moore or Morgan Spurlock had but it comes close. What makes this documentary work so well is the kids it chose to follow. Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily are all different ages, genders, races, and education level. They all provide moving stories that you can relate to and end up feeling for. The creators of this film couldn’t of found a better crop of kids to follow and this is the what makes the documentary what it is.
The film doesn’t just follow the kids and the negative side though, it also shows some positives to the school system. Geoffrey Canada and Michell Rhee are doing their part to fix this broken system. Canada is a very energetic man who has started some charter schools in Harlem. He feels like there are great teachers out there and compares watching a great teacher to a great athlete or artist. The viewer can’t help but like Canada as he is doing all that he can for something that he truly believes in. Chen on the other hand is not a very likable person, she is hated by most teachers and people involved with school system because she is trying to change it. Even though she might not be the best character she is doing her part to try and fix something that clearly needs work.
Waiting for ‘Superman’ may seem like an odd title to the film, and that is what makes it pretty interesting. The whole way through I was thinking why they chose that as the title and if it would have any specific meaning. Close to the end of the film they incorporate some unique old TV footage and relate it to what is going on in the public school systems which makes for a nice little thought provoking aspect to the documentary. The whole movie is built up to the amazing ending. It is a lottery to see if these kids who are in bad school can possibly get into a better one, it is their last chance. The way that they edited the lottery was done in such a suspenseful way that makes you the viewer on the edge of your seat, while waiting in anticipation as they count down the remaining spots. The reaction of the kids is very touching and makes for the emotional peak of the film.
The closing credits song by John Legend and The Roots is sure to be nominated for best original song at this year’s Oscars. Check it out HERE and go see this solid documentary in theaters for yourself.
IMDB: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Moviewiseguys: 7.5/10