The Los Angeles Times published a review–maybe it is an article, not a review, it is hard to tell–of the anti-union, anti-public education film “Won’t Back Down.” The article reaches no judgments about anything, other than the opening box office, which does not look good.
It says that critics claim the film is anti-union, but its director and writer don’t agree. Critics say that the producer is a rightwing zealot, but the director and writer say it doesn’t matter. Presumably the conservative billionaire Philip Anschutz, who also underwrote “Waiting for Superman,” just wanted an inspiring parent-teacher story. An uplifting story about how parents and teachers together can take over their public school and give it to a private corporation and live happily ever happy.
Anyone who knows anything about education issues knows that the point of the story is to promote the “parent trigger” law, which has converted no school anywhere as yet. The “parent trigger” law was first passed in California, and is now model legislation heavily supported by the far-right group ALEC and the equally far-right group Heartland Institute. But ALEC and Heartland and Anschutz don’t have a political agenda.
But here is the good news:
Opening weekend expectations for “Won’t Back Down” remain soft, with the $19-million movie on track to pull in less than $5 million when it opens against the sci-fi time travel film “Looper” and the animated comedy “Hotel Transylvania.”
“Won’t Back Down” is not a film: its an infomercial. This review belongs with the “living section” reviews of Superbowl commercials.
Too bad the current situation isn’t a comedy. I wish I could travel back in time. Just a few things I’d like to change.
Here’s the review I think:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-wont-back-down-20120927,0,6897332.story
Now, I have to laugh at Maggies quote:
“I hope it activates people to do something about education in our country,” said Gyllenhaal of the film.”
Yesterday, many posts attempted to answer several questions as to whether Maggie was clueless, did she know what she was doing, what her parents might think of her position, and what she might have been thinking.
Reread the above quote. I think we now know.
When a movie is based on issues, it matters who is funding and promoting it. In this case, it’s the same people who funded “Waiting for Superman”, a very flawed, misguided and factually inaccurate movie with the main purpose to paint all teachers with the same brush and to claim that privatized charter schools are the answer. Luckily, the public didn’t buy it and the movie did not do well. So, they thought they’d move away from a documentary which is supposed to be based on fact to a movie that can loosely be based on fact, with the hope that it will be accepted as fact.
The movie, if the producer wanted to be honest, would have put up a disclaimer to the effect that the Parent Trigger Law has only been implemented in two locations in California with disastrous results. Basically, Parent Trigger is a policy desperately seeking proof of success.
Another sad example of the “fair and balanced” or “objective” school of journalism. Since when is giving equal say to each side “objective” or “balanced” other than in the context of having two five year olds share gum?
I often wonder how such journalism would have handled reports about the Nazi death camps? Equal time for Hitler and Himmler to balance the claims of the masses on the way to the gas chambers?
I’ve come to see that this is yet another ploy by the right to co-opt our democracy–Every bit of agitprop, like this movie, gets treated as if all sides have equally valuable information or equally suspect opinion. Such symmetry is rare in life. So such reporting in nothing but rationed stenography. Reporting requires a human making judgments about events after a competent investigation, and reporting those judgments as clearly as possible to help the reader understand the reality of that event as reliably as possible.
Will there be errors and possibly biases? Yes, but the good reporter will bring the limitations out in the report, not hide them in faux “objectivity”.
*Imagine if the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire had been covered with that exquisite sense of balance.* *”Some say that the factory girls were unhappy because they worked without a break for 12 hours a day, but when their bosses were interviewed, they said the girls were very happy and actually sang at their sewing machines.” *
Last year, I had told numerous people (&, I think, posted this as blog commentary) that it was shameful what was happening to working people & to unions, especially on the one-hundredth anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. PBS had a terrific documentary, but that was about all. As this country travels back in time (and the fires have occurred in overseas sweat shops where clothing is made for big box companies here), “history will repeat itself, as we forget the past, we are doomed to relive it.”
The movie is a bust. I bet Education Nation is too.
WBD will be on Lifetime in less than six months…right to DVD within three months…Won’t Back Down becomes Can’t Sell Crap.
I made a photopost inspired by the movie’s central contention that any teachers refuse to stay past 3 pm : https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=447331665309547&set=a.132992836743433.12039.132987906743926&type=1&relevant_count=1
Love it…I am printing them out …take to movie theaters.
I think we will see a lot of spinning on these reviews from the NYPost to the NYTimes. Murdoch probably wrote the review himself and his poor movie critics just have to sign their names. And I would imagine the editor of the NYTimes is also telling their reporter to spin the review towards a much needed discussion on reform (or find another job) rather than the fact that this is probably the worst written movie ever. (If you recall Diane, someone associated with this movie left a comment on one of your posts saying that the original writer was removed from the film.)
Right now many critics with good reputations are not giving into the spin and are telling it like it is.
Michelle Rhee claims she is not anti-union. The director is trying to have it both ways too.
See “Director Daniel Barnz defends ‘Won’t Back Down'” in the Philadelphia Daily News
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20120927_Director_Daniel_Barnz_defends__Won_t_Back_Down_.html
The reactionary conservatives Anschutz and Murdoch who produced this film sure don’t think so. You can go to any for profit charter and they will have an ad for this film.
Maybe the director and actors should take a course in logic. They seem to think the truth is not an objective thing, but whatever you want it to be. They just want to make people feel good…the heck with the truth!
Either they are naive or lying. Take your pick. How can you make an anti-union movie and not know it?
They are lying. They know it and it work well for them.
Sometimes people in insulated lives truly have no clue about the outside world. Some are very self absorbed and are truly not very interested in much beyond their own press releases.
Actors are accustomed to reading writers’ words, not their own.
I do not want to paint all actors with a broad brush. However, after seeing Maggie’s little interview on the news I am of the opinion that she is clueless.
The issues of education are clearly beyond her ken. She is living in a fantasy bubble, untouched by reality.
Well, the critical consensus is overwhelming: this is a real stinker of a film. PU!
“Rotten Tomatoes” had it at 18% positive, which puts it exactly at the same ranking as that classic, cinema masterpiece: “Dude, Where’s My Car?”
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dude_wheres_my_car/
Maybe they can do what studios often do with clunker films; they send them out many months later with a new title.
Perhaps it would help their box office if they reissued it next Spring with the new title, “Dude, Where’s My School?”
This new title REALLY gave me a laugh, John! Thanks, ’cause we all really need one! That said, I am reminded of the sad comment of a truly worried Louisiana charter school dad who asked the head of the charter schools network what would happen to the school if it failed…where would his child go to school? He was told not to worry–that the students would stay, the school would probably be taken over & run by a new company, & the principal & teachers would all be replaced.
Your child would lose a month of schooling, but no worries Dad…
How pathetic is Rhee…she has her staff posting positive comments on Rotten Tomatoes. One would think they had better things to do…..they look foolish and desperate and the first one, Catherine R. is the one from Florida giving away the FIVE dollar restaurant gift card if you sent a feel good reformy story…remember her? This is great comedy. See the link at the bottom:
Catherine R
September 26, 2012
As a staffer of StudentsFirst, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. As a parent, I applauded their courage and resilience – fighting the status quo isn’t easy. As a former teacher, I recognized so many of the characters and situations. It gave me a sense of hope that things will turn around for our students – sooner rather…..
Cailin E
September 26, 2012
As an advocate for StudentsFirst, I support Won’t Back Down because it articulates the need to put students’ education first; regardless of the obstacles, challenges, and/or people that may stand in our way! If parents, schools, and teachers won’t fight for our kids, who will? The film informs the audience of the need…
Christine S
September 26, 2012
As a StudentsFirst staffer I am proud to support Won’t Back Down for its outlook on activism and parent participation when it comes to a child’s education. Parent empowerment is essential when schools fail kids. Bottom line – if a school is failing, drastic measures have to come about. Whether children go to a…..
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wont_back_down_2012/reviews/?type=user
Thanks for the heads-up, Linda. Now it’s OUR turn:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wont_back_down_2012/reviews/?type=user
This is beyond pathetic…is there a stronger word? I just glanced at the site. If I wanted to know what the movie was about I would have a hard time finding out. Many believe it is a ‘true’ movie. Others are less articulate and many are ill-informed. The two best reviews so far were:
1.) I find it interesting that everyone associated with the movie, including the two leads all belong to unions. However, this movie is another strike at teacher associations as the demon of education. No Child Left Behind, the ultra conservative legislative push to end collective bargaining in order to privatize public
Michael S
2.) I received an invitation to a free screening from a group of education “reform” organizations. I liked the free popcorn and soft drink. When I got in the theater I almost slipped in to see Resident Evil. I did not. I wish I had. One value for this movie, if anyone recommends it to you, you will know that truth and
Let’s get out there and make Looper a big success! I am hoping that that “education” movie will die a natural death. Don’t get me started on Rhee. I live in Sacramento and she married the mayor here, a former basketball star. Not sure how that qualifies you to be mayor. And interesting taste for a school “rheeformer”.
Gee, seems a LOT of basketball players get to be in charge these days, if you catch my drift…
I feel for you. We certainly don’t miss her in ole DC. BTW- How did he get elected when he should be incarcerated for his adventures with female minors?
An article about WBD is in the latest issue of Newsweek. Daniel Barnz is quoted as saying, “I had an optimistic hope that people would embrace the idea of coming together and use the film to explore ways in which people could partner and create change….that’s how audiences perceive the film- not as a referendum on teachers ‘ unions.” the article goes on to tell us about all the teachers in Barnz’s family.
Can anyone be that clueless?
it gets worse. Read his story in Huff Post, reprinted on this blog today
t”hat’s how audiences perceive the film”
So he’s interviewing the audiences now. Can and will he make those teachers in his family available for interviews?
Nell Minow’s Movie Mom Review of Won’t Back Down: http://blog.beliefnet.com/moviemom/2012/09/wont-back-down.html