Featured Audience Ratings

• Dan S

  
  A well-done if very melodramatic film concerning a passionate math teacher (Edward James Olmos) who somehow succeeds in inspiring his students to learn calculus. The films feels very familiar and predictable, but it is still crowd-pleasing at its conclusion. Olmos, Lou Diamond… More
  A well-done if very melodramatic film concerning a passionate math teacher (Edward James Olmos) who somehow succeeds in inspiring his students to learn calculus. The films feels very familiar and predictable, but it is still crowd-pleasing at its conclusion. Olmos, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Andy Garcia are all exceptional, which gives the film the additional energy it needs to hold our attention. Not especially memorable over the years (it has been a while since I have seen it), but still an admirable movie that is certainly believable.

• AJ V

  
  This isn't just another teacher movie like Blackboard Jungle or Class of 1984, the story of this film is true, and very empowering to teachers and students everywhere. This is one of the best real school dramas of the decade, so I highly recommend it.

• Wahida K

  
  In 1982, a new troublemaker hit Garfield High. He was tough. He was wild. He was willing to fight. He was the new math teacher. He reminded me of my Math Teather. lol

• Randy T

  
  Inspirational true story about Mr. Escalante, a Los Angeles high school math teacher whose Hispanic barrio students achieved high scores on California's advance placement calculus tests. A terrific story for two reasons, first because it's true and second because Edward… More
  Inspirational true story about Mr. Escalante, a Los Angeles high school math teacher whose Hispanic barrio students achieved high scores on California's advance placement calculus tests. A terrific story for two reasons, first because it's true and second because Edward James Olmos turns in the performance of his life. I enjoy this film but watching it brings back unpleasant memories of study, homework and test anxiety. (yikes!)

• Lenny M

  
  The model where the tough teacher in a dangerous environment who reforms his students comes from this film.

• Andy S

  
  Despite a recommendation from one of my friends (who has recommended mostly crappy movies in the past), I was willing to give this movie a chance if only to see the venerable Edward James Olmos as a professor. However, I quickly learned to ignore such reasoning because this film… More
  Despite a recommendation from one of my friends (who has recommended mostly crappy movies in the past), I was willing to give this movie a chance if only to see the venerable Edward James Olmos as a professor. However, I quickly learned to ignore such reasoning because this film doesn't do asingle thing you haven't seen before. The entire thing plays out like a poorly written account of Husker teaching how to subtract 2 from 2 to a roomful of robots with their "poor Latino stereotype" settings turned to eleven. Even the ending comes off as contrived, trying far too hard to move you even an inch. And the rest of the film doesn't fare much better, particularly the the incredibly aggrevating soundtrack. In short, take each individual facet of what this movie tries to do and go see movies that focus their attention on one of them rather than try to stretch it across all of them. If you want to feel inspired, go see 127 Hours. If you want a great leading actor, go see The King's Speech. if you want to witness the education of a poverty-stricken teenage hooligan, go see Good Will Hunting. If you want to like this movie, just go see Bloodrayne and compare it to this. And then go jump in front of a speeding train because you're officially incapable of telling the difference between quality and crap.

• Dannielle A

  
  Excellent movie about a teacher who empowers lower-class hispanic students and gives them a chance to be somebody. No one thought they could do it. No one challenged them beyond what anyone thought they were capable of. But Mr. Escalante teaches an introduction to math class... and in… More
  Excellent movie about a teacher who empowers lower-class hispanic students and gives them a chance to be somebody. No one thought they could do it. No one challenged them beyond what anyone thought they were capable of. But Mr. Escalante teaches an introduction to math class... and in two years, he teaches the students AP calculus. He gains their respect and instills a desire to learn in their heart.

• Lea L

  
  no bad..

• Leo L

  
  This is one of my favorites, absolutely love it! Here's a movie that I can never get tired of watching. Edward James Olmos and Lou Diamond Phillips both give extraordinary performances.

Read all 9 featured audience ratings