Dangerous Minds (1995)

Directed by John N. Smith. Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, George Dzundza, Wade Dominguez, Renoly Santiago, Bruklin Harris, Robin Bartlett, Marisela Gonzalez, Marcello Thedford, Richard Grant, Courtney B. Vance, Roberto Alvarez. [R]

Soft-boiled uplifting drama inspired by the true story of retired Marine LouAnne Johnson (Pfeiffer) becoming a high school teacher for a classroom full of poor, underachieving, rebellious students with dim outlooks and dimmer futures. Well-meaning, to be sure, and Pfeiffer is an appealing presence, but the script gives her a cardboard character through which to motivate a hodgepodge of stereotypes. There’s hardly a moment that doesn’t either pander or condescend, and its method of hard work through bribery underlines not only the emotional manipulation on hand, but also the sad reality being presented here: these kids are no more prepared for real life after listening to Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” than before. The successful tie-in soundtrack is filled with hip hop songs (including Coolio’s hit track, “Gangsta’s Paradise”) yet curiously enough, little rap music is actually heard during the movie.

38/100