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Won't Back Down

Won't Back Down

Drama · 2012

Jamie Fitzpatrick and Nona Alberts are two women from opposites sides of the social and economic track, but they have one thing in common: a mission to fix their community's broken school and ensure a bright future for their children. The two women refuse to let any obstacles stand in their way as they battle a bureaucracy that's hopelessly mired in traditional thinking, and they seek to re-energize a faculty that has lost its passion for teaching.

Movie details

Won't Back Down

“If you can't beat the system... change it”

2012 Drama 2h 1m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

Jamie Fitzpatrick and Nona Alberts are two women from opposites sides of the social and economic track, but they have one thing in common: a mission to fix their community's broken school and ensure a bright future for their children. The two women refuse to let any obstacles stand in their way as they battle a bureaucracy that's hopelessly mired in traditional thinking, and they seek to re-energize a faculty that has lost its passion for teaching.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Won't Back Down?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Daniel Barnz

Written by

Daniel Barnz · Brin Hill

Viola Davis

Viola Davis

Nona Alberts

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Jamie Fitzpatrick

Ving Rhames

Ving Rhames

Principal Thompson

Lance Reddick

Lance Reddick

Charles Alberts

Rosie Perez

Rosie Perez

Breena Harper

Emily Alyn Lind

Emily Alyn Lind

Malia

Stephen Weigand

Stephen Weigand

Riske's assistant

Court is in session

Put Won't Back Down on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.