Watch unlimited films online for $6.99.
Try MUBI for FREE.
 

Waiting for 'Superman'

United States

2010

102 Min
Color
English
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

   |   

DIR Davis Guggenheim

EXEC Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann

PROD Lesley Chilcott

SCR Davis Guggenheim, Billy Kimball

ED Greg Finton, Jay Cassidy, Kim Roberts

MUSIC Christophe Beck

Sundance (US Documentary Competition): Audience Award, Toronto (Maverick)

Synopsis

For a nation that proudly declared it would leave no child behind, America continues to do so at alarming rates. Despite increased spending and politicians’ promises, our buckling public-education system, once the best in the world, routinely forsakes the education of millions of children.

Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim reminds us that education “statistics” have names: Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily, whose stories make up the engrossing foundation of _ Waiting for ’Superman’_. 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 seemingly intractable problems.

However, embracing the belief that good teachers make good schools, and ultimately questioning the role of unions in maintaining the status quo, Guggenheim offers hope by exploring innovative approaches taken by education reformers and charter schools that have—in reshaping the culture—refused to leave their students behind. —Sundance Film Festival

Director

Original

Davis Guggenheim

He was born Philip Davis Guggenheim in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Charles Guggenheim and Marion Guggenheim. He graduated from Brown University in 1986. He is married to American actress Elisabeth Shue.

His credits as a producer and director include Training Day, The Shield, Alias, 24, NYPD Blue, ER, Deadwood, and Party of Five and the documentaries The First Year and Teach. He directed the pilot episode of The Unit.

He directed and produced An Inconvenient Truth, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. His most recent feature film is Gracie.

He directed Barack Obama’s biographical film, which aired during the Democratic National Convention, and Obama’s infomercial, which was broadcast on 29 October 2008.

Davis directed and was an executive producer of the 2009 pilot for Melrose Place. His brother-in-law Andrew Shue starred on the 90’s version of the series.

He most recently completed It Might Get Loud, a documentary that glimpses… read more

Wall

Displaying 4 of 17 wall posts.
Picture of willythesalesman

willythesalesman

19May12

informative but besides that nothing much. most people I know seem to like the film, most teachers I know are like "no shit, you didn't know?"

Picture of Liam Peters

Liam Peters

12Apr12

It's a messy film about a messy subject with some storylines abandoned mid narrative to be picked up far later and without substantial resolution. What shines is the absolute desire for education. These are children, parents, teachers and educators who are hungering for better. Looking beyond its borders may have made for a film with far more answers than which it eventually arrives.

Picture of thepha

thepha

6Mar12

Inspiring in showing heroes against thieves, heartbreaking in showing a broken ineffective system fail so many who are unaware or ignorant to a harsh truth, and infuriating in how simple a solution is to a complex problem. But, with so many roadblocks and red tape, not only from government but teachers as well, it can seem impossible. Watch this documentary, be informed, then fight for a better future.

Picture of junixu

junixu

4Mar12

Taught me some stuff I didn't know about the American education system. At the same time, it felt muddled and manipulative.

Related Films

Fans

Displaying 5 of 59 fans.

Articles

Our roundup of essays and articles on this film.
W184

"Enter the Void," "Wall Street," "Waiting for 'Superman'" and More

By David Hudson on September 24, 2010

"This is your brain." Manohla Dargis in the New York Times: "This is your brain on a Gaspar Noé movie. More specifically, Enter the

read article

Lists

Displaying 5 of 66 lists.

Reviews

No reviews yet — Write the first

Forum

Displaying 1 discussion topic.