Lean on Me

Starring:Morgan Freeman, Beverly Todd, Robert Guillaume, Alan North, Lynne Thigpen, Robin Bartlett, Michael Beach, Ethan Phillips, Sandra Reaves-Phillips, Sloane Shelton, Jermaine 'Huggy' Hopkins, Karen Malina White, Karina Arroyave, Ivonne Coll, Regina Taylor, Michael P. Moran, John Ring, Tyrone Jackson, Alex Romaguera, Tony Todd
Director: John G. Avildsen
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Rocky director John Avildsen championed the briefly famous New Jersey high school principal Joe Clark in this upbeat 1989 drama. Morgan Freeman plays the tough-love educator who wields a baseball bat and bullhorn to keep discipline in his hallways and to motivate underachieving students to keep their acts together. After establishing Clark's controversial methods and showing him giving some punks the boot, Avildsen relies on the usual school-drama clichés to fill out the rest of the movie, including a challenge to Clark's philosophy from timid authorities. Freeman makes a strong impact as Clark, his dignity and integrity a sometimes awesome thing. Avildsen, however, is going for a Rocky-esque emotional crescendo. --Tom Keogh

Description

Based on the true story of new jersey high school principal Joe Clark,who wins the support and respect of his students for his controversial methods in ridding the school of violent students and drug dealers.

Customer Reviews:

Ahead of Its Class.......2007-05-03

'Lean on Me' takes another educational figure and puts him at the head of the class. Hot-tempered, but motivational, Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman) takes the helm of New Jersey's East Side High School once the seat of academic excellence. Facing undaunting turmoil, the school he has but one year to shape up is full of drug dealers, fights, and general mayhem. Knowing that to get anyone to obey the rules, you have to enforce all, Clark "takes no prisoners" and armed with a megaphone and locks to keep criminals out, he gives his student body a whole new outlook on life. But between his scornful nemesis, Leona Barrett (Lynne Thigpen) and a desperate and unpopular mayor (Alan North), he has more than his martinet sensibilities to keep in check.

Seeing Morgan Freeman not play someone sage and mellow is a real treat. Sometimes his character makes us laugh and smile, especially when we see his soft heart behind the tough talk. With a convincing set of actors and situations, the story doesn't try to whitewash the problems or the hero's idiosyncracies. Unsurprisingly done by 'Rocky' director John Avildsen, 'Lean on Me' does inspiration with class.

Lean all the way toward seeing this movie!!!.......2007-04-21

With so many true story movies out there, I'm glad to say this is a good one. Now, saying that Mr. Clark aka Morgan Freeman did a great job. Sometimes he seems heartless but in the interior of his heart, he does care! I thought there was some funny parts, some great uplifting parts, and parts that made you feel sorry for "real schools" that goes through "real life drama" of education. I love when they sang in the bathroom the school song, well, the new remix of it. It's a great movie. I like it and recommend it to everyone.

An Inspirational Story for Educators.......2007-04-15

This is a story about Eastside High School in Paterson, NJ which was once considered one of the best high schools in the country. Over the years, the high school deteriorated to a school full of violence and drugs. Their test scores and graduation rates were so deplorable, the state was considering taking over the school.

A new principal, Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman's character), was hired in an effort to save the school. Even though he had a military-style of leadership, he really cared about the kids and instilled in them the value of education. He told them that if they failed, they shouldn't blame their parents or blame the white man. Since the majority of the school was poor African-Americans and Hispanics, he told them that if they didn't get an education, they would be locked out of the "American Dream" that they so heavily viewed on television. He let them know that the one and only reason they would fail would because of themselves. They were responsible for succeeding. His message was that students should not lean on excuses.

Joe Clark turned the school around, and even though he could have been more supportive of his faculty, the school was so far gone that it need his disciplinary leadership. Most of all, he instilled in the students responsibility and pride, and that is quite an accomplishment.

A Powerful Film!.......2007-01-20

Morgan Freeman's role in "Lean on Me" is typical of the kind of roles he's particularly good at: "My way or the highway." He nearly sinks his own efforts to turn around a failing school by acting as if he ALONE is the only one that can get the job done. This is a lesson for every administrator out there: "Lean on" Your Staff/Faculty. Give your staff and faculty the respect they are entitled to and they will work for you and the students much better than if you brow beat them and circumvent their authority as professional educators. It is only when Freeman's character learns this that things begin to go his well-intentioned way.

NOTE: This outstanding film is now packaged with another outstanding film on education, Stand and Deliver/Lean on Me. These films are worthy of a place in your DVD collection.

An excellent movie demonstrating the triumph of tough love and discipline over societal obstacles........2007-01-13

LEAN ON ME is an astoundingly inspirational film based on the life and accomplishments of Principal Joe Clark, an unyielding and determined educator who refused to accept the state's conclusion that his high school students were academic failures and decided to change the perception using unorthodox methods of teaching and stern discipline. His work gained national recognition in the 1980's and even received public mention by then President Ronald Reagan. "Crazy Joe" became a household name and set a valuable example to numerous inner city school systems.

This movie has a profoundly realistic and an unforgettable performance by one of the great actors of our time, Morgan Freeman, playing the role of Joe Clark. The film has numerous memorable quotes and keeps the audience thoroughly entertained. It is a remarkable movie worth seeing by both adults and children.

Average customer rating:

Great combo
2 Winners, 1 Package

Stand and Deliver/Lean on Me
Starring: Edward James Olmos , Estelle Harris , Mark Phelan , Virginia Paris , and Mark Eliot
Director: Ramón Menéndez , and John G. Avildsen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

The Ron Clark Story
Dead Poets Society (Special Edition)
Freedom Writers (Widescreen Edition)
Mr. Holland's Opus
To Sir, With Love

ASIN: B000K2UGZM
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Description

Look at the too-cool-to-cope kids in Jaime Escalante's class at East L.A.'s tough Garfield High, and many will say they see a bunch of losers. Escalante sees scholars. How he cajoles, instructs, challenges and inspires his no-expectations barrio kids to pass the daunting Calculus Advanced Placement Test forms the amazing heart of Stand and Deliver [Side A], starring Edward James Olmos and Lou Diamond Phillips. Paterson, New Jersey's Eastside High is the setting for Lean on Me [Side B], starring Morgan Freeman as bat-and-bullhorn-toting principal Joe Clark, whose controversial methods turned the failing school around and made Clark a national symbol of tough-love education. His message: Don't lean on excuses, drugs or anger. Lean on yourself and me...and learn. School's now in session with these two true-life tales!

Customer Reviews:

Great combo.......2007-02-07

Great combo of two movies in one. no special features though, but the movies are both great and the quality is good too. If your looking for a no frills look at the movies, this is it.

2 Winners, 1 Package.......2007-01-18

You simply can't go wrong with this DVD containing two outstanding films on educators who inspire their students in two utterly different ways.

In "Stand and Deliver" Edward James Olmos, almost unrecognizable, rightly earned an Oscar Nomination for his portrayal of an idealistic teacher in a run-down school. He makes extraordinary efforts to connect and motivate his students. He is a shining example of that cliche term "No one cares how much you know until the know how much you care." Olmos's character cares more than any teacher I have ever met myself. Awesomely inspiring!

Morgan Freeman's role in "Lean on Me" is typical of the kind of roles he's particularly good at: "My way or the highway." He nearly sinks his own efforts to turn around a failing school by acting as if he ALONE is the only one that can. This is a lesson for every administrator out there: Trust Your Staff/Facutly. Give your staff and facutly the respect they are entitled to and they will work for you and the students much better than if you brow beat them and circumvent their authority as professional educators. It is only when Freeman's character learns this that things begin to go his well-intentioned way.

As a 16 year veteran teacher I love nothing more than inspirational stories about education. Both of these films are now available in one package and definitely worth the purchase! If you are moved by other stories in the same vein, then check out "Mr. Holland's Opus", "To Sir with Love", "The Blackboard Jungle", "Dead Poet's Society", "Take the Lead", and "Akeelah and the Bee."

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