Waiting for "Superman"

2010 Documentary

Documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim explores the tragic ways in which the American public education system is failing our nation's children, and explores the roles that charter schools and education reformers could play in offering hope for the future. We see the statistics every day -- students dropping out, science and math scores falling, and schools closing due to lack of funding. What we don't see are the names and faces of the children whose entire futures are at stake due to our own inability to enact change. There was a time when the American public education system was a model admired by the entire world. Today other countries are surpassing us in every respect, and the slogan "No Child Left Behind" has become a cynical punch line. Bianca, Emily, Anthony, Daisy, and Francisco are five students who deserve better. By investigating how the current system is actually obstructing their education instead of bolstering it, Guggenheim opens the door to considering possible options for transformation and improvement. more..

Director: Davis Guggenheim

Reviews

  • It's an apt title. As divisive as the issue has become, it's hard to deny the power of Guggenheim's lingering shots on these children, waiting on a superhero who isn't going to come.

    Scott Bowles - USA Today

    20 January 2013

  • This is a time when urgent issues are often explored in polemic documentaries, as well as a fateful moment when the future of public education is being debated with unprecedented intensity. Waiting for 'Superman' makes an invaluable addition to the debate.

    Joe Morgenstern - The Wall Street Journal

    20 January 2013

  • Powerful, passionate, and potentially revolution-inducing documentary.

    Lisa Schwarzbaum - Entertainment Weekly

    20 January 2013

  • By showing how fiercely dedicated idealists are making a difference, it is a call to arms.

    Stephen Holden - The New York Times

    20 January 2013

  • Much of the film is told compellingly and heartbreakingly through the wide-eyed innocence of five children.

    Betsy Sharkey - Los Angeles Times

    20 January 2013

Awards

  • AFI Awards (2011)

  • Best Edited Documentary

    American Cinema Editors (2011)

     
  • Best Documentary

    Black Reel Awards (2011)

  • Best Documentary Feature

    Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2011)

  • Best Documentary

    Central Ohio Film Critics Association (2011)