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Lean on Me

Play trailer Poster for Lean on Me PG-13 Released Mar 3, 1989 1h 48m Biography Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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68% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
In this fact-based film, a New Jersey superintendent, Dr. Frank Napier (Robert Guillaume), watches helplessly as East Side High becomes the lowest-ranked school in the state. With nowhere else to turn, Dr. Napier enlists maverick ex-teacher Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman) to take over as principal of the declining school. Unfortunately for Clark, before he can focus on improving the student body's state exam scores, he has to somehow rid the school of its gang and narcotics problems.
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Lean on Me

Critics Reviews

View All (19) Critics Reviews
Jane Galbraith Variety Avildsen's enthusiastic direction gives Lean on Me a heartwarming, feel-good tone that is accessible beyond the environs of its subject. Jul 9, 2014 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Lean on Me is not a documentary about the real Joe Clark. It is a fiction film about a character who is so troubled, obsessed and angry that the film is never able to say quite what it thinks of him. After the movie, neither are we. Rated: 2.5/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) For fools like me, eyes will water. This is why, despite its defects, I vote in favor of this fable film. [Full review in Spanish] Jul 5, 2022 Full Review Mable Haddock Call and Post (Cleveland) A tender movie with a tough message. Mar 29, 2022 Full Review Cate Young Thirty, Flirty + Film Joe Clark's tough love philosophy plays into the pernicious respectability that plagues so many black communities- that discipline and assimilation will guarantee safety and success. Nov 5, 2021 Full Review Polly M. Robertus Common Sense Media Inspirational movie about a controversial teacher. Rated: 3/5 Jan 2, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
Blu B A Classic Drama. Phenominal acting across the board with easily the highlight being Morgan Freeman delivering one of the best performances of his career. His fire and passion is relentless and never lets up once as he commands the screen. What's amazing is he is never portrayed as a perfect character despite standing for law and order. And never comes across as a god himself. Everything else is really well done with really good direction overall here. If I can fault this for one thing it's that it can be very over the top and overdramitize constantly. However, that being said the situation it portrays comes off as over the top but also very real and I understand they are packing a whole school year in under 2 hours you have to compress things. It can feel very exhausting though as this moves at a ridiculously fast pace throwing nonstop drama, tension, passion, and keeps upping the stakes. It can also feel like stuff just happens a bit as certain plot lines don' really go anywhere at times like the pregnancy and the one kid leaving feel almost forgotten about. But it just works overall because of how fast everything hits and it does build on top of each other extremely well. And above all else, it's an inspiring story that really works. Anyone who is a fan of any actors in this, the director, inner city dramas or dramas in general will like this. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/24/24 Full Review Aj L One of my - if not my favourite movie, that's partly nostalgia based but brilliant, so underrated! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/31/24 Full Review S R I remember it being a moving film showing how standing for good can lead to better outcomes. I saw it again and it still has a moving story based on true events. It is powerful and Freeman carries to movie. Saw on HBO. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/13/24 Full Review Jacob H Its a great wholesome movie highlighting the difficulties an inner-city school faces. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/09/24 Full Review T23Byon M Educational, humorous, lesson learner. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/12/23 Full Review Audience Member one of Morgan Freeman's early successes and one of the best performances of his career! the story takes place in New Jersey in 1967 at Eastside High School one of the lowest ranking institutions it's up to the state to take control if the students don't pass the basic skills tests Freeman plays a teacher that gets transferred to a more savage, run down location filled with street gangs, graffiti, vandalism, drugs etc. it definitely comes off as a jungle with little to no control over the student population imbreu is defined as a stain on the soul, the cancer of racism 20 years later Joe Clark the superintendent is tasked with reinvigorating everything but the corruption has to be dealt with first his methods come off as unorthodox to both teachers and students, no one knows what he's doing exactly but that's the way Clark likes it the mayor, the fire chief, and even a few parents have legitimate concerns about how he runs the school Clark gets things improved but as a person he needs to recognize gratitude and appreciation for others discipline is not the enemy of enthusiasm, treat people like animals that's what they become, how do you run a school if you can't control its students, you fail in life, you don't blame others only yourselves, you come to school to learn and to work hard for what you want, we sink we swim we rise we fall together, many people don't believe we can make it in the world but we can have the power to turn that around the movie plays a big part in telling us we all need a wake up call so we can avoid the pitfalls that await us if we turn away from being educated Freeman's performance is a tour de force, the music is hip, and the message is pretty clear cut well-spoken and empowering! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis In this fact-based film, a New Jersey superintendent, Dr. Frank Napier (Robert Guillaume), watches helplessly as East Side High becomes the lowest-ranked school in the state. With nowhere else to turn, Dr. Napier enlists maverick ex-teacher Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman) to take over as principal of the declining school. Unfortunately for Clark, before he can focus on improving the student body's state exam scores, he has to somehow rid the school of its gang and narcotics problems.
Director
John G. Avildsen
Producer
Norman Twain
Screenwriter
Michael Schiffer
Production Co
Warner Bros.
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Biography, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 3, 1989, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$28.9M
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Dolby, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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