Not yet registered? Create a OverBlog!

Create my blog

Review: Lean on me movie

Lean On Me was released in the cinemas in 1989 and starred Morgan Freeman in the lead role. It is based on a true story of a New Jersey high school principal, Joe Clark who attempts to turn around one of the worst schools in the state in just one year.

Crazy Joe Clark

Overview
Confronted by waves of drug related crimes and violence he takes radical action that borders on despotism.
Armed with a baseball bat and a bullhorn, he utilises his Army background to face the problem head on.
Joe Clark
Joe Clark has one year to lift the pass rate at Eastside High else the school will go into state receivership.
On his arrival, he finds the school covered in graffiti, teachers terrorised and the premises awash with drug users and dealers. No shrinking violet, Clark uses tough discipline to win back control of the school and does not flinch from intimidating both students and staff to get his way.
If they fail to respond to his methods he expels them, in one memorable scene he does this to 300 students in one go. Morgan Freeman's portrayal of "Crazy Joe" Clark is mesmerising and as usual, his dignified screen presence is phenomenal.
The viewer is left in no doubt that Clark is the story here, not the school or students.
More information
Director John G. Avildsen's concentration on Clark's actions means there is very little screen time for the people he confronted.
Whilst this helps the film flow, the lack of an opposing view lessens the tension and makes Clark's job seem relatively easy, which must be far from the truth.

Artistic license

About artistic license
Whilst it is based on a true story, a certain amount of artistic licence was used in creating the Lean On Me movie. In reality, there was no threat of the school being taken into receivership and Clark was given two years to turn the school around and as a result the time line of events have been condensed.
Certain characters, including his nemesis, Mrs Barrett were created for the film and did not exist in real life.
Final word
But this was never meant to be a documentary and taking liberties with historical facts has long been a movie-making tradition.
The popularity of the film proves that the writers and director understood this and succeeded in bringing a remarkable man's life to the screen.

Same category articles Television

Where to buy the 'Queen of Swords' on DVD

Where to buy the 'Queen of Swords' on DVD

The show "Queen of Swords" was an old-fashioned action adventure that premièred in 2001. It only ran for one year, but built-up a small following. The show is available on DVD, but is quite hard to find. So, it is worth checking through a few sites so as to get the best offer.
Where to buy 'Touched by an Angel' on DVD

Where to buy 'Touched by an Angel' on DVD

'Touched by an Angel' is a drama that follows three angels sent to Earth. They help people and show them that God has not forgotten them. The 'Touched by an Angel' DVD sets are widely available. Whilst 'Touched by an Angel' episodes are available online, this article will focus on the DVD of the movie.
The top five moments from the Dr. Phil show

The top five moments from the Dr. Phil show

Dr Phil McGraw got his break after successful appearances on Oprah. His forthright manner and simplistic advice make him the subject of much debate amongst his viewers and those who claim to hate him. This article will take you through five landmark Dr Phil episodes.
A guide to RCN cable

A guide to RCN cable

Since 1993, RCN has been providing bundled phone, cable TV and high speed internet to over four-hundred-thousand customers in Chicago, Washington, Eastern Pennsylvania, Boston and New York. RCN was able to enter markets that already had cable TV providers by forming partnerships with power providers who had the right-of-way on power poles. This article details some of the services provided by RCN.