Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

GarnettTeenage The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

Roxie The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

SnoopyStyle In 1970 Charleston, Mississippi, the white high school first allowed black students to attend but the parents kept the proms separated by race. In 1997, Morgan Freeman offered to pay for an integrated prom but was rejected. It's 2008 and hometown guy Freeman is trying again. The school is 70% black and 30% white. The school and the board accept. However, some white parents decide to keep the white prom going.It's an eye-opening slice of the world. It's not something in the headlines but it's also something very telling. It's a lot of interviews with the kids but it's not terribly dramatic. Freeman makes the case early on but mostly keeps his hands off. This is definitely one-sided but I can't expect participation from the other side. That's kinda the point. There is one parent of a white girl dating a black boy and that's a good look at the tip of the iceberg. It's a really interesting story but the failure to get the 'other side' limits its effectiveness.

libra67 Several months before I watched it I listened to Morgan Freeman do an interview about this film. That interview was fantastic and it sparked my interest in the film. Now that I've seen the film, I think I actually got more out of listening to the interview. Although there were some interesting moments, there wasn't enough drama throughout to make me really want to keep watching. While, I am glad the film was made for the sake of exposing the kind of racism that still exists in some areas, it's not a film I would recommend to everyone. It was well made but could have been more concise. It's probably best used as a classroom tool to generate discussion.

Vic_max I happened upon the middle of this HBO-produced program by accident. I couldn't believe what I was seeing: talk of racism, "blacks" and "whites" going to separate proms ... and Morgan Freeman - what did he have to do with anything? Well, I decided to wait and watch it from the beginning. Boy - this was a great documentary.Charleston, Mississippi is small, 2000-person town. Approx. 40% is white and 60% African American. The high school has 415 students total, which means about 100 students graduate every year. Believe it or not, with even this tiny student population, up till 2008, there were separate senior proms for "blacks" and "whites".What does Morgan Freeman have to do with it? He lives there! One of the amazing scenes in the show is when Freeman visits the senior class and has a frank discussion with them. He asks them pointedly direct and blunt questions. When asked why he's doing this, he responds: "I live here and I think it is the stupidest thing I ever heard of" ... and goes on from there. He is an amazingly articulate and bright individual - I'll bet it was both his societal standing (or celebrity status) and leadership skills that got the integrated prom to go forward.The kids interviewed in the show are very articulate and forward looking; the real impediment to progress seems to be the parents. Apparently the some parents tried to take legal action to "prevent", if you can believe it, an integrated prom. When they failed, they still pushed forward with a "white"-only prom. It almost leaves one speechless. This show is a great example of why generation gaps are sometimes a good thing. Some generational ideas need to fade away with the generation that embraced them.This is a great documentary - definitely worthwhile viewing. It'll shock you realize how parts of this country are still mentally 'stuck' in the 50 and 60s. Unreal.

preppy-3 This documentary is about a small town in Mississippi that (to this day) has integrated proms--one for blacks, the other whites! Hard to believe but it's true. Actor Morgan Freeman was born and raised in that town up to the age of 6. He says he'll pay for the school prom--IF it's integrated! Naturally this drays a firestorm of controversy but mostly from the parents who don't want it. The kids do--but they're caught in the middle.Absolutely fascinating documentary. It's inconceivable to think that ANY town in this day and age would have separate proms. The documentary talks to the parents and kids. It's made pretty clear that most of the parents are against it--only a few support it. Also a group of white parents pressed charges against the town to NOT have an integrated prom. They also refused to appear on camera and talk about it. This isn't all about racism--it has some very fun moments. The kids themselves are funny, adult and articulate. The best bit is one boy who ends up with TWO dates to the prom! Also the tone of the film is not hysterical or condemning anyone. They just show you what's happening and has the citizens talk about it. Absolutely fascinating. A 10 all the way.