Won’t Back Down

Concerned mother Jamie (Maggie Gyllenhaal), worried her dyslexic daughter’s school is not meeting her needs, decides to take steps toward reforming it. She enlists the efforts of one of the school’s excellent instructors (Viola Davis), and together they begin the arduous process of fighting the teachers’ union, a process fraught with obstacles around every corner. As Jamie begins having some success, the clouds of opposition gather.

ClearPlay In Action!

The PG Won’t Back Down has a smattering of language that ClearPlay edits — about 10 instances. The ClearPlayed version still has some serious family drama — conflicts between parents and children. Although the material is appropriate for most audiences, the thematic elements are aimed at parents.

Does Won’t Back Down get an ‘A,’ or will I be bored of education?…

Won’t Back Down follows a very familiar underdog formula, with the usual sacrifices by the heroes, with the stakes rising and everything on the line. But it’s sincere in its telling. The performances are believable, and even if the plotting becomes predictable, its heart is in the right place. Unless, of course, you’re a member of a labor union, in which case you might find yourself siding with the movie’s “villains.”

Marty Nabhan— ClearPlay Principal

Rated PG for thematic elements and language; 121 min; Directed By Daniel Barnz