Synopsis: Two determined mothers, one a teacher, look to transform their children’s failing inner city school. Facing a powerful and entrenched bureaucracy, they risk everything to make a difference in the education and future of their children
Release Date: September 28, 2012
Thoughts: I can’t shake the feeling that we’ve seen this all before. Now look, I’m not against a David vs. Goliath kinda story but the trailer for Won’t Back Down seems to hit on every cliché note that these types of films can be overwhelmed by. Maybe it’s just an unavoidable pitfall of this genre brought on by poorly made feel-good films and made-for-tv movies but is it too much to ask to market the movie as something more? Davis seems to be taking up a role that her friend Meryl Streep would have played (and did play in Music of the Heart!) ten years ago. Gyllenhaal might be a spunky bright spot here as she usually steers clear of schmaltz but still…there may have been one too many “Bring it!” type moments in this trailer to sell me completely.