The Substitute (1996)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Robert Mandel

Writers (WGA):

Roy Frumkes (written by) &
Rocco Simonelli (written by) ...

Release Date:

19 April 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He has a lesson to teach. And nobody's going to have a problem with it.

Plot:

After a botched mission in Cuba, professional mercenary Shale and his crew Joey Six, Hollan, Rem, and Wellman head home to Miami...

Plot Keywords:

School | High School | Drugs | Substitute | Gang

Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Jonathan Shale
Raymond Cruz	...	Joey Six
William Forsythe	...	Hollan
Luis Guzmán	...	Rem
Richard Brooks	...	Wellman
Ana Azcuy	...	TV Announcer
Diane Venora	...	Jane Hetzko
Glenn Plummer	...	Mr. Darrell Sherman
Sharron Corley	...	Jerome Brown
Vincent Laresca	...	Rodriguez
Maurice Compte	...	Tay
Marc Anthony	...	Juan Lacas
Ernie Hudson	...	Principal Claude Rolle
Beau Weaver	...	Janus Showreel Narrator
Cliff De Young	...	Matt Wolfson

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Canada:R | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:18 | Iceland:16 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA

Company:

Dinamo Entertainment

Trivia:

The movie was shot during the summer months and kids enrolled in summer classes were extras on the film. Free Papa John's pizza was served to anyone who would stay after school.

Goofs:

Continuity: Red-capped pen when Shale is first meeting the black teacher and the librarian in the lounge.

Quotes:

Principal Claude Rolle: Power perceived is power achieved.

Movie Connections:

References A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

No-nonsense action with a bit of social input

These no-nonsense action films that try to convey some social statements have a soft spot in my books and therefore I sometimes rate these movies higher than they actually deserve. The Substitute is a late bloomer in this department since it actually received a theatrical release and did fairly well. Nowadays films like these go directly to video or television and the ambition that was invested in these films is today nonexistent.

The terribly underrated Tom Berenger plays a mercenary whose girlfriend is a teacher at a lower class high school. When she's attacked by a thug Berenger creates his own resumé and teacher credentials and assumes her position at the school and becomes the substitute teacher. Once there he discovers the school is run by a corrupt drug dealing principal who's using some students there to help him run his operation. Naturally Berenger, along with some of his mercenary friends, take action and attempt to stop this operation which culminates in a massive shoot out on school grounds.

While this is an action movie at heart, it also tries to relate some well meaning messages about today's youth. The way lower class kids are living, which is dangerously on the edge, their way of thinking and looking at the world around them. In a particularly nice scene, one character doesn't admit to being ashamed of how her life is but when asked if she wanted her child to replicate her life, well, that's another matter indeed. That one scene explains a lot and it's moments like these that actually make The Substitute a little bit more interesting than many other films of similar nature.

But the film doesn't go too far into social matters and quickly gets down and dirty with the action, which is well served and the film never slows down too much. All the cast are willing and able to entertain, some real quality actors here and they all fare well.

The Substitute in many ways represents a dying breed of movie-making and it will probably give movie fanatics a feeling of nostalgia in years to come.