Waiting for Superman by Davis Guggenheim - Movie Review Example

In the film, “Waiting for Superman”, Davis Guggenheim lays out the crisis in the American public school system. This is linked to other developed countries where it is 21 st in the sciences and takes position 25 in mathematics. The title of the film alludes from a collection in one of the documentaries which talk about Geoffrey Canada the educational reformer. Canada was brought up in South Bronx and he asserts that “one of the saddest days in my life is when my mother told me that Superman did not exist.

She thought I was crying it's like Santa Claus is not real. I was crying because no one was coming with enough power to save us” (Guggenheim). It is also documented that Canada was the co-founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone. He was successful in managing the privately funded institution. According to the director, he intends the film to serve as an education reformer. Guggenheim links this to the “inconvenient truth” which attempted to take part in climate change reform.

He concludes that the problem that he may face is the teachers union. The union defends its workers against any dismissals. Later he asserts that the only savior which he may have is the charter school system. The director frames his film basing on the competition. He implies the case where five children wait for news about their admission in a charter school. They are not lucky, for instance, Francisco who is the Bronx and a first grader is among the 792 applicants who are eying for the 40 vacancies at Harlem success academy (Guggenheim).

Therefore, “Waiting for Superman” is a call to the arms. It aims at calling anyone who would like to step up and help fix problems in education. It is also a cry for mercy and help. That is, ‘someone calling to become the children’s Superman’.