Why does Long Beach always gets the bad rap? The new film "Freedom Writers" is about a teacher "Erin Gruwell" (played by Hillary Swank) who is working at a troubled school. Now for those of you from Long Beach here's the surprise... The film is based on a true story that took place at Wilson High School. Wilson High School! Not Jordan, not Cabrillo, not Poly (which has put more kids in the Ivy league than any other inner-city high school in America). It's about Wilson. How many people can afford to buy a house near Wilson High School? I know that Wilson has problem kids and there are kids that live in the West Side that go to Wilson but Wilson is not an inner-city school by anyone's imagination. Does Long Beach have rough neighborhoods? Absolutely. However, the LBC is not only got hood...it's got good. The association of Long Beach with pure ghetto has been produced by Hollywood via Snoop Dog and now Freedom Writers.
The NY Times film review speaks of Erin Gruwell driving every day from "another planet" called Newport Beach. This review does get this right...since Newport Beach is another planet for 99% of America. [I'm tempted to go into greater detail as to how Newport is "another planet" but am being good.] However, she could have equally driven from such affluent neighborhoods as Naples, Belmont Heights or Virginia Country Club...all of which are in Long Beach.
LBC - the good and the hood....
To see the NY Times film review click here
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