Stand and Deliver

Directed by: Ramon Menendez

Written by: Ramon Menendez, Tom Musca

Every teacher has seen this movie at some point. That's a proven fact. (Citation needed.)

The film, quite simply, tells the story of Jaime Escalante (Olmos), who takes a teaching position at one of the worst high schools in the Los Angeles area. Despite just about every obstacle, Escalante manages to turn some of the lowest and toughest students into true mathematicians and college-bound scholars. Escalante's efforts don't go over very well with the academic establishment (Garcia and Hutton), though, leading to an emotional and powerful climax.

It's hard to argue with the feel-good message of the story - made all the more powerful by the fact that it's true. (Some of the events were compressed in terms of chronology, though, but that can be forgiven.) Time has aged this movie significantly, though that doesn't necessarily distract from it's inspirational accomplishments.

Edward James Olmos gives the performance of a lifetime in the lead role. The film is worth watching merely for his work. Notably, the students (such as Lou Diamond Phillips) were also completely believable. Most films botch the casting of teenage roles, but this one totally hits it out of the park.

The film itself is surprisingly understated. Much of the drama and conflict is implied and understood, rather than overt. There are only a handful of moments of action across the film. The narrative follows a different arc than most: it tells a story of progress rather than of conflict. (There are conflicts along the way to be sure, but the progress drives the story more than the conflict.)

Is it a little corny? Sure. Is it somewhat dated? Yes. (But, I would argue that now it's a "time piece.") Should you see it at some point in your life? Absolutely. It's hard to walk away from this film without feeling good about something.