American Teacher

American Teacher (2011)

  • 67% of critics liked it
    (15 reviews)

  • 70% of users liked it
    (250 ratings)

American Teacher is the feature-length documentary created and produced by Vanessa Roth, Nínive Calegari, Dave Eggers, and Brian McGinn. The film includes a musical score by Thao Nguyen and is narrated by Matt Damon. The film chronicles the stories of four teachers living and working in disparate… More

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G,
Directed By
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Genres
Documentary, Special Interest
In Theaters
Sep 30, 2011 Limited
On DVD
Feb 13, 2012
First Run Features

Critic Reviews

  • Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

    This heartbreaking and essential look into the lives of those who put so much into educating other people's children ought to be seen by anyone concerned about the fate of the public school system, and the nation as a whole.

  • Neil Genzlinger, New York Times

    A heartfelt, bittersweet portrait of several teachers as they make the difficult decision of whether to stick with the profession.

  • Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

    As we watch the individuals in "American Teacher" struggle with the burdens the system places on them, it's hard not to feel like crying, both for them specifically and for our national culture.

  • Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

    Featuring a tedious procession of statistics, graphs and talking heads, American Teacher undercuts the forcefulness of its arguments with its underwhelming presentation.

  • Ernest Hardy, Village Voice

    What's made powerfully clear is that we've reached a dire point of crisis that, while largely rooted in economics, is about so much more than dollars and cents.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • Leo L


    This documentary briefly focuses on the complexities of the public education system. Through a series of interviews, four distinctive educators (ranging across the country) discuss the 'ups and downs' in their careers while giving insight into their own personal lives in… More

  • Sunil J


    Just awesome. Powerful without being a total downer but very emotional. These people love what they do and you feel their frustration.

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