Stand and Deliver

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Rohan H Stand and Deliver (1988) is an inspiring and deeply moving film that celebrates perseverance, belief, and the life-changing impact of a dedicated teacher. Based on a true story, it tells the remarkable journey of Jaime Escalante, a high school mathematics teacher who refuses to give up on his students — or let them give up on themselves. Edward James Olmos delivers a brilliant, career-defining performance as Escalante. He brings passion, humour, and intensity to the role, making the character both larger-than-life and completely authentic. His portrayal earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and for good reason — his performance captures the struggles and triumphs of a teacher determined to make a difference. The film’s young cast, including Lou Diamond Phillips, Rosanna DeSoto, and Andy Garcia, adds energy and realism to the story. Their characters come from tough backgrounds, facing poverty, prejudice, and low expectations, yet under Escalante’s guidance they discover their own intelligence and self-worth. Watching them grow in confidence and achieve the impossible — passing the Advanced Placement Calculus exam — is both emotional and exhilarating. Director Ramón Menéndez grounds the film in realism, avoiding clichés and focusing instead on genuine human connection. The dialogue feels real, the classroom scenes are engaging, and the story’s message — that belief and hard work can overcome even the toughest obstacles — resonates long after the credits roll. What makes Stand and Deliver timeless is its message: education has the power to change lives. It’s a film that reminds us that great teaching isn’t just about equations or exams — it’s about unlocking potential, nurturing self-belief, and proving that with determination, anything is possible. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/31/25 Full Review thehumble K. Feels good to see a movie that resonantes with me and my culture. I feel like I miss a large piece of that with current films, but watching this classic hit like home cooked food after traveling for months. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/20/25 Full Review Nim T Real story that really act as a film with motivation and determination. Jaime Escalante was a math teacher that brought lifelong impact to students that struggle in school. As a student who formerly was not good at math, it was regrettable that I did not watch this movie during that time. From the movie, I understand the importance of having mentor, but also combining with hard work can lead to great future outcomes. From experience, it brings resonance to me as I was also someone who has taken and know about the difficulties of the AP Calculus exam. The acting was superb, with a built in chemistry amongst the students and the way they showed perseverance. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/12/25 Full Review 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 4/5 Stars •  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 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/12/24 Full Review Margaret C Watched this in history class. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/22/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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