The Review of the film "Dangerous Minds"

Dangerous Minds

The film, which I have seen is titled “Dangerous Minds”. The star of this film is Michelle Pfeiffer. The movie is based on the autobiography My Posse Don't Do Homework by former U.S. Marine LouAnne Johnson, who took up a teaching position at Carlmont High School in Belmont, California, in 1989, where most of her students were African-American and Hispanic teenagers from East Palo Alto, a then-unincorporated town at the opposite end of the school district. The genre of the movie is drama.

When a retired U.S. Marine, LouAnne Johnson, decides to become a teacher, she is given a class of tough, street-wise kids, involved in gangs and drugs. Her initially meek demeanor, small stature, and white skin earn her the nickname "white bread" from her students. Determined to have them trust and respect her, she quickly changes her presentation, wearing leather jackets, teaching karate to her students and cursing in the classroom. Creating her own curriculum for her "socially challenged" class, she starts having them read poetry, using Bob Dylan lyrics to teach symbolism. Johnson rewards her students for their hard work by giving them candy bars to say good job, toy prizes and trip to a boardwalk theme park. Along with helping her students with school work, she also provides emotional support to several students, including a couple of wise-cracking boys who are too caught up in street politics for their own good, and a teen who's dealing with the reality of being pregnant in high school. Although she intends to leave at the end of the year, the students quote the lyrics of a Dylan Thomas poem that they learned and insist that she's their "light" and refuse to let her leave. Touched, she agrees to stay.

I like acting of actors, but I suppose that it will be possible to act better, especially young actors, who are students. But nevertheless, their costumes express the US of that time. It’s a pity, that there are several moments in the film when we manage to see the student’s family inside, their relationship and attitude to each other.

I’m deeply impressed by the way Luanne made the teens listen to her. At first I thought it would be impossible. She ultimately gets them to open up to learning and literature, through a combination of bribery (candy bars) and intimidation (her karate training from the Marines comes in handy), and she's able to reach out to the students who need her the most: Callie, a bright girl who believes she's thrown away her future when she becomes pregnant; Emilio, a macho bully whose violence is stifling his academic potential; and Raul, the brightest kid in the class, who is afraid to show his intelligence.

This film is a true-to-life guidance of what to do in order to motivate students with “low or zero-level”, how to treat them and, what is more important how to understand the reasons for their behavior and handle with it. I can not but say that this film is a pedagogical one, which states what a true teacher is to be – they are not indifferent, motivated, able to sympathize, reflective, always ready to help, protect, share experience and give advice. The way Luanne sees her students at the beginning is impressive – she does not consider them stupid ignorant leftovers of the society – the way others thought – but she notices their creativity – the boy dancing, karate and so on. So, she sees smth good in them – and it is a positive start which is so important while teaching. “Dangerous Minds" is indeed a powerful, emotionally charged film that knocked me over the head with its solid acting, its skillful manipulation of the emotions and the true-to-life ABC of teaching. Really, I’m grateful to have such a thought provoking film in my collection. I think, it does deserve watching. The end of the film is very thought provoking. Being a newcomer in teaching I do dream of some day when my pupils say they love me, need me. I cannot even imagine Luanne’s feelings at the moment. Her achievements are really worth praising.