Story: Documentary about the American education system, told from the perspective of four dedicated teachers, aims to address difficult questions about the broken public school system. Cast:Matt Damon, Jonathan Dearman, Jamie Fidler, Rhena Jasey, Erik BennerDirector:Vanessa Roth, Brian McGinnOpened:September 30, 2011On DVD:February 14, 2012From:First RunLength:1 hr. 21 min.
FEBRUARY 14, 2012
American Teacher, Good Reviews, Mixed (Doc) NYC, LA
American Teacher played in New York City and Los Angeles to good reviews that at the same time were mixed. • Ernest Hardy wrote in the Village Voice and LA Weekly, "What's made powerfully clear is that we've reached a dire point of crisis that, while largely rooted in economics, is about so much more than dollars and cents." • And Dennis Harvey wrote in Daily Variety, "Part straight appreciation, part plea for greater renumeration..." More Reviews Below...
American Teacher Positive Reviews (8 Reviews, reviews below)
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...doesn't come close to doing what it sets out to do, but it does end up as a heartfelt, bittersweet portrait of several teachers as they make the difficult decision of whether to stick with the profession."(Read the full review...) 259 words, 09/30/11
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Hopefully, these portraits of working people doing our most important job will make a difference."(Read the full review...) 170 words, 09/30/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "As we watch the individuals in 'American Teacher' struggle with the burdens the system places on them, it's hard not to feel like crying, both for them specifically and for our national culture."(Read the full review...) 669 words, 09/30/11
Ernest Hardy, Village Voice: VERY GOOD "What's made powerfully clear is that we've reached a dire point of crisis that, while largely rooted in economics, is about so much more than dollars and cents."(Read the full review...) 203 words, 09/28/11
KEY CITIES (0 Reviews)
American Teacher has not been reviewed in Key Cities
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (3 Reviews)
Ernest Hardy, Village Voice: VERY GOOD "What's made powerfully clear is that we've reached a dire point of crisis that, while largely rooted in economics, is about so much more than dollars and cents."(Read the full review...) 203 words, 09/28/11
Alison Willmore, AV Club: GOOD(cg) "...best taken not as a standalone film, but as a valid counterargument in what's become a hot topic in the doc world."(Read the full review...) 421 words, 09/29/11
Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "...a curious blend of teacher-appreciation mandate and recruitment video -- though it's not always clear at whom the narration's gravely spoken factoids are directed.... aside from the sprinkling of these PowerPoint-like diversions, 'American Teacher' rather shamelessly vies for our pity."(Read the full review...) 760 words, 09/25/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...doesn't come close to doing what it sets out to do, but it does end up as a heartfelt, bittersweet portrait of several teachers as they make the difficult decision of whether to stick with the profession."(Read the full review...) 259 words, 09/30/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "As we watch the individuals in 'American Teacher' struggle with the burdens the system places on them, it's hard not to feel like crying, both for them specifically and for our national culture."(Read the full review...) 669 words, 09/30/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Dennis Harvey, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "Part straight appreciation, part plea for greater renumeration... inspiring portraits of hardworking subjects make a fine case for raising the bar by rewarding excellence rather than punishing failure.... engaging pic is nicely assembled in all departments."(Read the full review...) 484 words, 09/25/11
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter: WEAK "...has the unfortunate feel of a boring classroom lecture. Featuring a tedious procession of statistics, graphs and talking heads... undercuts the forcefulness of its arguments with its underwhelming presentation."(Read the full review...) 385 words, 09/29/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "As we watch the individuals in 'American Teacher' struggle with the burdens the system places on them, it's hard not to feel like crying, both for them specifically and for our national culture."(Read the full review...) 669 words, 09/30/11
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...doesn't come close to doing what it sets out to do, but it does end up as a heartfelt, bittersweet portrait of several teachers as they make the difficult decision of whether to stick with the profession."(Read the full review...) 259 words, 09/30/11
23.3 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
American Teacher's reviews are separated by an average 23.3 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
American Teacher (8 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:American Teacher's reviews cover 9.6% of potential readers (average is 68.2%). Volume:The film's reviews total 3,351 words involume (average is 19,979 words). Length:The film's reviews average 419 words in length (the norm is 512 words).
American Teacher Coverage, Volume & Length (8 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 17.7 Hours Before Release (Norm is 0.2 Release)
American Teacher's reviews on average broke 17.7 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 0.2 hours after. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is American Teacher's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
American Teacher (8 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
Mobile Web App version 1.0 shows a list of all current movies and review information. You can click through to the cast, director, synopsis, release date and rating on page two, plus individual reviews on page three. The information is updated on a live/real-time basis. You can also search our database of films. Designed for when you're on the move and want the latest info, this app will work on any mobile web browser. From your mobile device -- only from a mobile device -- open our Mobile Web App here...
