School of Life (2005)

68% of users liked it
(11,780 ratings)

A small-town history teacher with a decidedly different approach to public education raises the ire of a stuffy biology teacher who's looking to win the "Teacher of the Year" award in this made-for-television family-oriented comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and David Paymer. Mr. D (Reynolds) doesn't… More A small-town history teacher with a decidedly different approach to public education raises the ire of a stuffy biology teacher who's looking to win the "Teacher of the Year" award in this made-for-television family-oriented comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and David Paymer. Mr. D (Reynolds) doesn't just teach history, he lives it; and his passion for the oft-dreaded subject is infectious. Though the kids and the faculty all love Mr. D, biology teacher Matt Warner (Paymer) views the newly arrived educator as little more than another roadblock in his path to take the "Teacher of the Year" prize. The son of wildly popular educator Stormin' Norman (John Astin) -- a man who had achieved the astonishing feat of winning the top teacher award for 43 years in a row -- Matt Warner is desperate to prove his worth as a teacher by following in his fathers formidable footsteps. When Warner learns a secret about Mr. D that could bring the newly arrived teacher down and place Warner directly in position to take the Teacher of the Year title, the entire town of Fallbrook learns an important lesson that can't be taught in a textbook. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: William Dear
Genres: Drama, Television, Kids & Family, Comedy

In Theaters: Feb 19, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Jan 3, 2006

Critic Reviews

David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...substitutes overt instances of sentimentality for anything even resembling authenticity and genuine emotion.

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Featured Audience Ratings

♥˩ƳИИ &

Cast: David Paymer, Ryan Reynolds, Kate Vernon, Andrew Robb, John Astin, Leila Johnson, Shylo Sharity, Chelsea Florko, Jillian Marie, Alexander Pollock Director: William Dear Summary: Stodgy educator Matt Warner (David Paymer) -- who's determined to carry on his late… More
Cast: David Paymer, Ryan Reynolds, Kate Vernon, Andrew Robb, John Astin, Leila Johnson, Shylo Sharity, Chelsea Florko, Jillian Marie, Alexander Pollock Director: William Dear Summary: Stodgy educator Matt Warner (David Paymer) -- who's determined to carry on his late father's legacy of winning the Teacher of the Year award -- suddenly finds himself competing with charismatic new history teacher Michael D'Angelo (Ryan Reynolds) in this made-for-TV family tale. In an effort to smear the affectionately dubbed "Mr. D," Matt tails him and makes a shocking discovery that leads to an uncomfortable self-assessment and an about face. My Thoughts: "A feel good movie with a great message but with a bitter-sweet ending. Good performances from Ryan and David Paymer. The story is about learning what little time we have on this planet so what we do with it better count. The title of the film is very fitting. It isn't about school or teachers, it's about us. How we treat each other how we see each other. What we can do and what we should do. To make something of our lives and don't waste the time we have been given because our time is limited and unforseen. Not a film for most, but one worth taking a look at with your kids."
Cynthia S

Ryan Reynolds. Never heard of this, yet I found it to be absolutely fantastic! He is just the best.
Leigh R

Cute message to it. I just love Ryan Reynolds so that made it worth watching.
Deb S

A high school biology teacher (David Paymer) wants to be the best teacher of the year to honor the memory of his just deceased father "Storming Norman Warner" who won the "teacher of the year" award 43 years running. But then along comes the coolest sexiest young… More
A high school biology teacher (David Paymer) wants to be the best teacher of the year to honor the memory of his just deceased father "Storming Norman Warner" who won the "teacher of the year" award 43 years running. But then along comes the coolest sexiest young history teacher any high school has ever seen (Gorgeous Ryan Reynolds as Mr. D) and dashes all his hopes of this ever happening. I recommend this picture because it is excellent portrait of what a school teacher needs to do in order to be effective. As Mr. D shows, the most important part of education is connecting with your students. This way they want to come to class, they want to participate, and they will enjoy learning. <a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=lxfdj" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/lxfdj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>
Kevin M

It's good to see a film focus on teachers' relationships in strengthening kids' minds. This would be good for a family movie night, although I admit to enjoying darker films. Reynolds and Paymer are both great in this.
Nick G

In my opinion this movie trumps School of Rock on many levels. Sure it is a bit cheesy and predictable at times but most movies of this type are. The movie that ALMOST inspired me to be a teacher. A few minor changes and a bigger budget and it could have been a successful… More
In my opinion this movie trumps School of Rock on many levels. Sure it is a bit cheesy and predictable at times but most movies of this type are. The movie that ALMOST inspired me to be a teacher. A few minor changes and a bigger budget and it could have been a successful mainstream movie.