Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Python Hyena Won't Back Down (2012): Dir: Daniel Barnz / Cast: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Oscar Isaac, Holly Hunter, Rosie Perez: Boring drama about persistence. The message is inspiring but like crap such as Fireproof it seems content on beating viewers over the head with its message. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays a single mother whose daughter has dyslexia and struggles in school. Viola Davis plays a teacher whose son also suffers learning disabilities. Together they attempt to change the school, which comes into conflict with the unions and labor boards. We applaud the message, but elements of the opposing factors earn points in their arguments as well. The concept has appeal but the story is shallow and feels bland even in its location work. Director Daniel Barnz previously made another low key film called Beastly. This is not much of an improvement. We know where it is headed and it comes off as corny and over the top. Viola Davis is the only casting that works. She has doubts over the situation yet she believes in it. Her home life with her son and her separation with her husband add a believable quality. Gyllenhaal is also a wonderful actress but here she is subdued in a lame predictable romance and media outbursts that are laughable. Oscar Isaac is a waste as a music teacher who is more or less there to romance Gyllenhaal. Holly Hunter has a standard role of union board member. Rosie Perez plays a co-worker who lines one of either side of the mud slingers. The education theme is commendable but the screenplay is about as boring as a third grade book report. Score: 4 ½ / 10

pc95 Suffice to write that "Won't Back Down", directed by Daniel Bartz, is a movie about educational reform, and one that is fair and satisfactory. Problem is it's also a snoozer. It runs a long feeling 121 min, and features at least 3 or 4 side stories that don't really mesh well together and detract from the focus to some extent. There have been quite a few classroom dramas over the years, some better, and some worse than this one. Gyllanthal brings her zeal and strong energy to her part and is nicely paired with Viola Davis, who strangely at times looks a little confused or out-of-place in some scenes. This might be poor direction. Anyway, there are the requisite feel-good moments, and not much to keep you guessing. This one gets around 5.5/10 - it's watchable and has some good moments - perhaps best was the scene about 2/3 through with Holly Hunter's character deflating Gyllanthal at one point. There are a few other good scenes, but some focus would've greatly helped this movie.

napierslogs Jamie Fitzpatrick (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a single mother trying to hold down two jobs, struggling to afford a good education for her daughter. "Won't Back Down" is her fight to change the public school system. Joining her is a strong, tough, independent disenchanted black teacher, Nona Alberts (Viola Davis). It's a drama poorly marketed as anti-union propaganda and was just as poorly received.The film isn't as bad as the critics' ratings, the dismal box office performance, or the word-of-mouth criticism suggests. It's certainly not great. The predictability, the cloying sentimentality, and desire for perfection make sure it won't reach the great heights that the film seems to have envisioned for itself. But for people who like dramas where a disenfranchised community comes together to fight against a system, the film does hit the right notes.Overall the acting is great, even though Davis can kiss her award chances goodbye. Gyllenhaal was the only one that attempted to add some comedy to her role. She has always been great at melding together drama and comedy and more comedy always seems to be a good thing. The best role, however, was Oscar Isaac who played both Jamie's love interest and a teacher who was doing his best to not fail the students. He supported the union, respected his fellow teachers, respected his students, fell in love with Jamie and supported her cause even though his multiple stances would frequently be at odds. He also did all of the above with a guitar strapped over his shoulder and made little girls laugh with renditions of Johnny Cash songs. It's too bad he won't be able to garner any Oscar buzz.I'm assuming one of the major issues with the failing of this film was the timing of the release. Although September marks the beginning of the school year, it is also a time of hope, optimism for the year that could be. Parents and children alike believing that this year they're going to find a teacher that inspires them and see their dreams for the future come true. It's not a time for the reminder that the public school education system sucks. This film would be better left for February, during the ides of winter, when students and parents alike are struggling to learn what they're supposed to know and have lost the optimism they had just six months earlier. At its best, "Won't Back Down" would be able to provide that lost hope; fighting the good fight, as long as that doesn't get too monotonous.

jeffrey-hunt I was attracted to this movie by the power of the trailers, and the movie didn't disappoint. It is an excellent depiction of the problems in an overly regulated and protected public school system, and more importantly, how parents will fight to get a quality education for their kids.Many of the scenes are heart breaking. Why is it that parents have to struggle to get a proper education for their kids.Viola Davis and Maggie G. both give very powerful performances. Davis' performance is as good as her role in 'The Help'. The viewer really feels the pain she has endured personally, and how she has slipped from her early passion for teaching. Glyenhaal's energy is infectious. No problem she faced discouraged her. She was masterful in how she turned each parent and teacher 'no' into a 'yes'.