Raises a lot of broad concerns about the US education system, but is sorely lacking a defined thesis. Ultimately the film argues for the charter school system, but doesn't offer enough arguments nor answer enough opposing questions. The call-to-arms lines at the end addressing a need for "great people, high expectations and accountability," are so generic as to be laughable.

Watched it with my mom who happens to be a teacher. I guess this is somewhat controversial among teacher. I felt that it didn't go far enough into the problem(s). While it does an good job explaining some problems with the education system, it would take significantly more time, probably a couple days, to fully explain all the problems and reasonable solutions. So for what it's worth, it's a decent film.

A documentary about the future of our people -- our children. A must see if you think they are important. It also shows how corrupted big organizations always get. In this case, the teachers' union. So much money is spend on teaching but so little is thaught, and the power of the union prevails.

This film provides a fascinating overview of problems with education in the United States. It does not tackle new ground, but its inclusion of the personal, while occasionally too sappy, helps to emphasize the importance of these issues. Guggenheim's narration captures the caring helplessness of the average observer, and makes his exploration and outrage all the more poignant.

This suggests a problem with our system that no one is willing to tackle

Good documentary with very skilled camera operators framing each shot. The biggest weakness is the voice of the narrator, which is irritating to say the least. Thankfully there is less voice-over in the second half of the film. The animated graphs are well done and elevate the production value of the film overall. Ultimately with such rich subject matter one walks away wishing the director had squeezed a bit more analytical depth into the 110 minute runtime.

"Guggenheim wants you to know that he has an education problem, and that you should too." - Matthew Connolly

A documentary where some self proclaimed geniuses can't figure out for the life of them why a bunch of black and latino kids who are living in borderline poverty communities cannot possibly keep up with the educational system no matter how much they are encouraged. Hilarity ensues.

Less a movie than a call-2-arms this packs an emotional wallop: a powerful argument 4 a complete overhaul in the teaching system (hopefully republicans can c past simply dismantling the teacher's unions & realize that teachers'll have 2 become the new lawyers (ambitious & driven workaholics who trade 60 hour work weeks for 6 figure salaries)) in order 4 real change 2 occur. The film crystallizes what works, as well as the cruel insanity of limiting real educations 2 a relative handful by lottery

"Waiting for Superman," the new documentary by Davis Guggenheim, contends the American educational system is failing, which we have been told before. He dramatizes this failure in a painfully direct way, says what is wrong, says what is right.

Guggenheim presents an involving (albeit fairly limited) analysis of the problems facing the US schol system, and while it has a bit of a slow start, once the groundwork is set out it is very difficult to stay detached from the issue at hand -- not to mention the real people involved.

Why U.S. education sucks. Tries too hard to end on an upbeat note, but informative and generally winning. So *this* is why I had so many K-12 teachers that I'd like to shoot in the face

Of the handful of recent documentaries on the American education system I have seen, this one is by far the most developed and balanced in terms of political and social bias. Though teachers unions receive much of the negative attention here, there is no one group that has been singled out, or pardoned, as the party responsible for low school performances. While some go straight for the heart with over-emotional pap and others come off too dry and numerical, this film finds a perfect medium.

There is no hope.

Yes, the school system has some problems. Some major problems. Actually it is in such a shitty condition, that the 'we can do it' ending seems laughable. Go watch 'Inside Job' and you'll have an idea of why there isn't money enough to provide proper education.

A well paced, well reasoned, documentary about the breakdown in America's public school system. Despite what some critics say, there is no anti union agenda here and any negative portrayal of the teacher's union comes from their own actions and resistance to every effort at reform. It should also be mentioned that the US is at the top of the world rankings in spending per student. This isn't an issue of budget but of accountability.

This is a 'There's a problem with schools, which we sort of don't really understand, but hey! Luckily we can do something if we, you know, do something' kind of documentary, and I'm a 'Okay, you guys go do something then, see ya!' kind of guy.

Guggenheim once again takes a very narrow and limited view of a subject and tackles it in the most boring way possible. He fails to consider that a lot of these kids come from broken homes and is actually the root of most of these problems. Throwing money at something almost never works (look at Africa). Wasn't as terrible as An Inconvenient Truth but still a huge waste of time.

As soon as one "expert" claimed that if ONLY we could fire 5% of teachers, our education system would be as good as Finland's, I began to suspect both the methods and motives of this documentary. An anti-union screed, pretending to care only about the welfare of children.

A great documentary on the problem with the US education system. It seems to do well in staying unbiased and informative, though it doesn't seem to delve deep enough the issue itself. What it does do well, is track the 4-5 kids and the 'real' effects this is having on them. It certainly made me tear up.

THE GREATER GOOD IS NOT EMOTIONALLY SATISFYING. Giving this film a -15 because it crushed me.

Powerful, and a great insight to the school system. I was a little disappointed with the lack of any clear solution the problems presented. The resolution doesn't have much of a punch. We're dragged through this depressing and failing mess of a national crisis, yet the film ends without any clear sign of hope or answer.

Solid and informative. Manages to keep you interested both emotionally and pragmatically. Only get's overly political in a few spots.

Fairly entertaining, but the "yes we can" like ending credits was overwhelmingly nauseating - and made the rest of the film seem like a waste of time. Furthermore the constant knowledge that half of the kids in the film are going do die from a crack abuse was somewhat saddening. Great illustrations though!

It's a good and instructive documentary but I had enough of "We are America, we were the greatest nation once upon a time and now we suck" attitude in every doc I see about US.

"It's all about the adults". This phrase says it all.

I actually really enjoyed this movie. It keeps you hoping and supporting for the people of the main roles.

It's as unbiased as a doc on American education can get. It demonstrates that the liberal-leaning teachers' unions have become so big and corrupted that they resist any real reform in order to protect themselves. It also deconstructs the popular conservative fallacy that anyone in America can succeed provided that they try hard enough. I believe the charter school lotteries are primarily shown as a metaphor for how few of our children will succeed, in the hopes of igniting constructive debate.

Should have better explained what unholy powers the teachers' unions have over public schools, but otherwise very informative and enjoyable.

A good documentary highlighting the problems of the education system which does so without resorting to bias and being informative while not really treading any new ground. I feel that the movie didn't do so well to tell why the education is totally problematic as a whole{durr hurr blame it on tenure, because that's the ONLY issue the education system has} and could have gone beyond to the external problems of the system, but it does well to show the personal effects of the system effectively.

The problems with public education are a lot more complex than the film suggests--i.e. the teacher's union are "kryptonite" while charter schools are "superman." And I fear it may lead to simplistic solutions that only make matters worse.

Well-intentioned and likeable for sure, but so politically correct it mostly leaves an impression of tacky self-righteousness.

Anti-union wolf in liberal sheep's clothing.

As a documentary, very good. As an advocacy piece, an amazing film.

The American education system is certainly plagued with many problems, I can speak from experience. I had hoped that this documentary would delve deeper into the problems with teaching methods rather than just environmental conditions and bad teachers with everlasting tenure, but perhaps that's better suited to the book format where complex issues such as these can be adequately addressed. In any case, this documentary is definitely on the right path to making people question the system.

Simplistic answers to a complicated problem.

A poor documentary that brings up many more questions than it answers. As interesting as the subject matter could be, this is a dull, unfocused and slightly confusing waste of time. By choosing the (irrelevant, in the big scheme of things) 'school lottery' outcomes as the climax Guggenheim admits as much, conceding he's going nowhere and attempting a cheap emotive punch to go out on. The decision to completely dismiss outside influences on the kids is criminal too.

Ignores both the systemic and pedagogical faults with American education in favour of a facile privatized solution (Which, shockingly(!) the film's financial backers themselves stand to profit from). Will I disparage a documentary for bias? Nay. Will I disparage a film for being intellectually dishonest and ideologically offensive? It gets points for at least being well crafted.

That lottery at the end that shits on families, mmmhmm.