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Whatever It Takes

2009

PG

Director

Christopher C.C. Wong

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

WHATEVER IT TAKES chronicles the struggles and triumphs of the very first year of the Bronx Center for Science & Mathematics, an innovative public high school set in NYC’s South Bronx. This deeply emotional, character-driven documentary focuses on Edward Tom, the school’s dynamic rookie principal, and Sharifea Baskerville, a talented but troubled ninth-grade girl. Grittily, realistic, yet ultimately triumphant, WHATEVER IT TAKES paints a compelling picture of cutting-edge ideas and dedicated individuals, united in their vision to restore hope to a broken community.

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

6.8/10

Good

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film focuses on educational reform and student-teacher dynamics. It lacks explicit character arcs or explorations of non-cisnormative identities.

Gender Representation

Fair

Sharifea Baskerville serves as a central protagonist, providing a nuanced portrayal of female resilience. This disrupts traditional narratives that often prioritize male leadership.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Excellent

The documentary centers on the South Bronx, providing high-agency roles for characters of color. Principal Edward Tom and Sharifea Baskerville represent a non-Anglo-Saxon majority.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The narrative engages with systemic critique by framing the South Bronx as a community in need of innovation. It prioritizes collective social progress over bureaucratic norms.

Disability Representation

Minimal

While the film explores troubled youth, there is no specific evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Strengths

  • High levels of racial diversity through its focus on the South Bronx community.
  • Strong character agency for protagonists of color, including the principal and students.
  • Nuanced portrayal of female resilience through the central character of Sharifea Baskerville.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or non-cisnormative character arcs.
  • Absence of visible or invisible disability representation within the narrative.
  • Limited exploration of identities outside of socioeconomic and educational struggles.

AI Analysis

Whatever It Takes succeeds by centering the lived experiences of a marginalized community in the South Bronx. By focusing on the agency of local leaders and students, the film moves beyond tokenism to address systemic social structures and community resilience. The documentary's strength lies in its racial and cultural authenticity, providing a platform for non-white protagonists to drive the narrative. This approach offers a gritty, realistic look at educational reform through a lens of social progress. However, the film's scope is narrow regarding identity politics. It lacks representation for LGBTQ+ individuals and provides no specific evidence of disability representation, focusing instead on socioeconomic and educational struggles.

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