Several hundred documentaries are produced annually, but few are profoundly gripping, socially relevant, and largely popular with mainstream audiences. Waiting for Superman might be the exception in 2010.
Director Davis Guggenheim won an Academy Award for An Inconvenient Truth, and returns with his newest documentary, Waiting for Superman, a film profiling the public education system in America. The movie shows several students struggling to find openings in over-crowded schools, and how the futures of today’s children are hanging in the balance.
Guggenheim’s recent film, which will be released this fall, might receive more favorable reactions than the “green” film with Al Gore, considering the unanimous position of America’s broken education system. I didn’t see An Inconvenient Truth, but debates regarding fact and fiction behind global warming divided audiences. Waiting for Superman is bound to cause heated conversations, but a general consensus believes schools are failing America’s kids.
The film received positive reviews after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Despite a grim, depressing outlook presented in the trailer (embedded below), the film includes moments of inspiration and optimism for potential change. Scott Weinberg of Cinematical reviewed the film at Sundance and wrote:
Equal parts sickening, fascinating, and inspiring, Waiting for Superman (the title refers to a child’s dream of being rescued) takes firm aim at our national education system and asks a few simple but angry questions. Like, for example, how can one of the richest and most privileged countries in the world fail so resoundingly at educating its youngest generations?
How long must our system fracture before someone comes up with a plan that actually works? Why do so many politicians promise education reforms … but practically never follow through? And, perhaps most importantly, what can a dedicated parent actually DO to help ensure their kids a legitimate and high-quality education?
I’m a huge fan of documentaries, especially films directly relevant to domestic issues. Waiting for Superman appears like a serious Oscar contender, but time will tell how audiences and critics receive the movie.