Stand and Deliver

PG

Released Mar 11, 1988

1 hr. 42 min.

Drama

Biography

List

90%

62 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Los Angeles high school teacher Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) is being hassled by tough students like Angel Guzman (Lou Diamond Phillips). But Jaime is also pressured by his bosses, who want him to control his raucous classroom. Caught in the middle, he opts to immerse his students in higher math. After intensive study, his students ace California's calculus test, only to learn that their scores are being questioned. They'll have to retake the exam in order to quiet the critics.

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Critics Consensus

Stand and Deliver pulls off the unlikely feat of making math class the stuff of underdog drama -- and pays rousing tribute to a real-life inspirational figure in the bargain.

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S R

Powerful film based on a true story. When I saw it as a kid it made me want to learn and be a successful student. It still does. Inspiring. Saw on Tubi.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/13/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Stand and deliver what you have even if it isn't good enough Based on the true story directed by Ramon Menendez Mr. Escalante by James Almos is a newly hired at James A. Garfield high school teacher The school lacks funding and resources They'll be put on probation at the end of the year if the students can't learn mathematics The problem is that they're delinquents and are prone to dropout Escalante is determined though to push them hard to succeed teaching calculus As a result the 14 students all scored the same scores and it was highly questioned by the Educational Testing Service, they were accused of cheating But in actuality they were all taught the same way and they had to retake it--one got accepted into Columbia university another joined the military and 12 passed with scores of four and five There's a lot of classroom scenes and we don't really delve too much into these students' lives But the film captures the culture of the Eastside of Los Angeles Olmos is spectacular here and he won an Oscar nomination for best actor Library of Congress then in 2011 selected the movie in the National Film Registry All you see is the turn not the road ahead, can kids ever bounce back?, intelligence and self improvement can still exist even for kids in the Barrio life, bad things can change, one person can truly make a difference The location filmed in Boyle Heights is the strongest existing link between Garfield high school being uncompromising and unconventional math teacher, the unjustly scrutinized students, and the film that gave inspiration The film shows the potential and power that exists in students/teachers that so many would doubt easily serving as a good underdog drama

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

Full Review

Jerod S

Stand and Deliver is the educator's Remember the Titans. Rag tag group of students beat the PreCalculus odds by being led by a teacher that believes in them despite the odds. 80s greatness.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Stand and deliver what you have even if it isn't good enough Based on the true story directed by Ramon Menendez Mr. Escalante by James Almos is a newly hired at James A. Garfield high school teacher The school lacks funding and resources They'll be put on probation at the end of the year if the students can't learn mathematics The problem is that they're delinquents and are prone to dropout Escalante is determined though to push them hard to succeed teaching calculus As a result the 14 students all scored the same scores and it was highly questioned by the Educational Testing Service, they were accused of cheating But in actuality they were all taught the same way and they had to retake it--one got accepted into Columbia university another joined the military and 12 passed with scores of four and five There's a lot of classroom scenes and we don't really delve too much into these students' lives But the film captures the culture of the Eastside of Los Angeles Olmos is spectacular here and he won an Oscar nomination for best actor Library of Congress then in 2011 selected the movie in the National Film Registry All you see is the turn not the road ahead, can kids ever bounce back?, intelligence and self improvement can still exist even for kids in the Barrio life, bad things can change, one person can truly make a difference The location filmed in Boyle Heights is the strongest existing link between Garfield high school being uncompromising and unconventional math teacher, the unjustly scrutinized students, and the film that gave inspiration The film shows the potential and power that exists in students/teachers that so many would doubt easily serving as a good underdog drama

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/11/23

Full Review

Alberto P

Can not expressly explore the difficulties of immigrants root's children in a system that only sees black and white Great movie! I lived that life but fought and broke thru! Props to myself!!!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A brilliant motivating movie. The actors are great and the soundtrack is good. Overall its a joy to watch. The only problem is that is too short, for me it would have been way better if it was made as an tv series.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

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Ramón Menéndez

Director

Edward James Olmos

Jaime A. Escalante

Lou Diamond Phillips

Angel Guzman

Rosanna DeSoto

Fabiola Escalante

Andy Garcia

Dr. Ramirez (Educational Testing Service)

Will Gotay

Pancho

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Lynn Darling

Newsday

As a paean to the idea that one individual can still make a difference in this world, Stand and Deliver does just that.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 12, 2021

Full Review

Chris Chase

New York Daily News

I won't tell the end, I'll just say this is a wonderful movie. Olmos is superb, funny, strong; Lou Diamond Phillips makes a terrific wise-guy student But then, everybody's terrific. You come away feeling cheered and hopeful.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 11, 2021

Full Review

Eleanor Ringel Cater

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Stand and Deliver is a rousing, stand-up-and-cheer movie that wears down the most cynical viewer in much the same manner that Escalante wears down his most unreachable students -- with raucous humor and ruthless determination.

Aug 11, 2021

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Edward James Olmos earned a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his inspired -- and inspiring -- performance.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 10, 2024

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...slow-moving yet mostly compelling...

Rated: 3/4

May 18, 2022

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

As original as it is fascinating, because it's based on intelligence and self-improvement, on the joy of learning, something that's almost always ignored by the cinema. [Full review in Spanish]

Sep 9, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Los Angeles high school teacher Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) is being hassled by tough students like Angel Guzman (Lou Diamond Phillips). But Jaime is also pressured by his bosses, who want him to control his raucous classroom. Caught in the middle, he opts to immerse his students in higher math. After intensive study, his students ace California's calculus test, only to learn that their scores are being questioned. They'll have to retake the exam in order to quiet the critics.

Director: Ramón Menéndez
Executive Producer: Lindsay Law
Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 11, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.9M

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