In 1995 there was "Dangerous Minds." In April of 1996 there was "To Sir, with Love II." This same but different movie also takes place in a school.
"The Substitute" takes place in Columbus High School in Miami. When teacher, Jane Hetzko (Diane Venora), is knee capped by a drug dealer her boyfriend, Shale (Tom Berenger), decides to take over her class and find out who's the thug that's been harassing her. Shale is just the man for the job too; he's an unemployed mercenary looking for something to do.
His very first day as a substitute is "Dangerous Minds," "To Sir, with Love II," and many others: it's a class full of rowdy unruly Black and Brown teens who are on the track to Nowheresville. It's too cliché. The only difference this time is that the teacher is not there to love them into submission, he will beat them into submission if necessary. For those of you who are fans of tough love, then you'll see it here. I have to say that it was refreshing to see him manhandle the young ruffians who thought they ran things. The other movies with the win-them-over-with-love theme are OK, but I admit that I don't have the patience for such idealism. Sometimes, the quickest way to get a bully to respect you is by fighting back.
So Shale isn't there to mold young minds, he's there to find bad guys, and that he does. This is not a movie about reforming wayward souls, this is about bringing down a criminal enterprise. If some students happen to learn in the meantime, then that's a plus.
"The Substitute" takes place in Columbus High School in Miami. When teacher, Jane Hetzko (Diane Venora), is knee capped by a drug dealer her boyfriend, Shale (Tom Berenger), decides to take over her class and find out who's the thug that's been harassing her. Shale is just the man for the job too; he's an unemployed mercenary looking for something to do.
His very first day as a substitute is "Dangerous Minds," "To Sir, with Love II," and many others: it's a class full of rowdy unruly Black and Brown teens who are on the track to Nowheresville. It's too cliché. The only difference this time is that the teacher is not there to love them into submission, he will beat them into submission if necessary. For those of you who are fans of tough love, then you'll see it here. I have to say that it was refreshing to see him manhandle the young ruffians who thought they ran things. The other movies with the win-them-over-with-love theme are OK, but I admit that I don't have the patience for such idealism. Sometimes, the quickest way to get a bully to respect you is by fighting back.
So Shale isn't there to mold young minds, he's there to find bad guys, and that he does. This is not a movie about reforming wayward souls, this is about bringing down a criminal enterprise. If some students happen to learn in the meantime, then that's a plus.