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While trying to choose a school for his children, documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) found himself facing a new—yet still very inconvenient—truth: our country’s public schools are failing. And it’s not just the inner-city schools in low-income neighborhoods; suburban schools are struggling, too.
In Waiting for ‘Superman,’ Guggenheim takes an eye-opening look at the failing schools around the country. Along the way, he talks to teachers and administrators, he explores the causes and effects, and he discloses some pretty terrifying statistics.
Of course, there’s plenty of finger-pointing, along with lots of fancy charts and graphs. Throughout the film, Guggenheim exposes the regulations and bureaucracy that keep underperforming teachers in the classroom while the students suffer. But it’s more than just another documentary full of facts and figures.
Guggenheim gives the film a more personal feel by following some of the families whose lives are affected by the country’s struggling school systems. We meet kids like Daisy, a smart little girl who already knows where she wants to go to college—that is, if she manages to defy her school system’s odds and graduate from high school. Or Bianca, whose single mother struggles to pay for her private school education, so she won’t be doomed to their neighborhood’s underperforming public school. They’re all sweet, hard-working kids who have goals and dreams—but they find themselves at the mercy of a lottery system that will determine whether they’ll get into a nearby charter school or be forced to carry on in a school where their chances of succeeding—or even graduating—are dishearteningly low.
The children and their families give Waiting for ‘Superman’ an emotional connection. As you learn about the country’s failing educational system, you’ll see the aftermath through the stories of these innocent kids. And while Guggenheim does sometimes overdo the melodrama to make his point, it’s certainly an effective technique. You’ll find yourself caring about the kids—and about what happens to them. You’ll hold your breath as they attend the lottery, waiting for their number to be called. And, most importantly, you’ll sit up and take notice—and you’ll want to do something to help fix this horrifying problem.
Guggenheim may not be an energetic showman like Michael Moore or Morgan Spurlock. He doesn’t corner or confront anyone. But he definitely gets his point across. Waiting for ‘Superman’ isn’t a wildly entertaining film, but it’s a compelling documentary that’s sure to open your eyes about our failing educational system, the lives that are affected, and the people who are trying to change it.
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