Teachers
Teachers
R | 05 October 1984 (USA)
Teachers Trailers

A teacher reconnects with an old student who is now an attorney representing a family who is suing the school for graduating their son who still cannot read or write. Amid the daily chaos of teaching in an inner city school, Alex Jurel tries to decide if he will lie at his deposition to protect the school or tell the truth and risk throwing away his career.

Reviews
Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.
Teringer An Exercise In Nonsense
Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%
ChampDavSlim The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
ballen78 I'm finishing up my 7th year as a an 8th grade teacher at a typical rural public junior high/high school, and I watch this movie at the end of each school year. It does a few things for me: 1. Helps me realize just how f'd up the people I work with/for really are. 2. Gives me something to laugh about to take the edge off of a long school year. 3. Motivates me to keep teaching year after year even when I've just finished teaching some rough classes.As for the movie itself, it's up and down. Nolte is his typical mid-80's drunken self. Laura Dern was outstanding as the slutty student, and the rest of the cast fills in the gaps. What I like about the movie is that the teachers, even as stereotypical as they are portrayed, are so real. I can name a fellow faculty member for each role, as most teachers probably could.
Datalink-1 I thought this movie was excellent. It came out when I was in High School, and it brought all kinds of emotions up. It had some funny parts, sad parts, and parts that made you want to smash your television. It was based on a true story, and really shows how our school system sucks. I will never forget this movie, and Nick Nolte did an excellent job. Not to mention Ralph Macchio was hot! There were a lot of great actors/ actresses in this film. Some top names- and they all did an excellent job! I would recommend this film to all parents out there in big cities to see what their kids are going through. and this film was made in the 80's, so you know that things are 100 times worse than they were back then.
TSMChicago While the story takes some liberties with realism this is actually a very good film. As a 25 year teacher I can honestly say that what may have appeared outrageous in 1984 is pretty close to reality today.Frustrated teachers, out of the loop administrators, a total lack of discipline, students bringing a smörgåsbord of baggage to class and a stubborn school board that puts the money above the needs of the students.Yes, an occasional affair does happen between teacher and pupil and the possibility that a school staff member would aid a young student in obtaining an abortion is not that far fetched. Teaching is like any profession in that there is excellence, mediocrity and total ineptitude. In some cases the issue of low pay is something of a myth although no one in education is getting rich. If so many believe that teachers have it easy why aren't college graduates breaking down the doors to get in?What I like about "Teachers" is that it portrays professionals that truly place the needs of the students first even if their methods are unconventional. Give me one teacher like Nick Nolte's character instead of 10 Dittos. Forget the mantra "looks good, is good" and admit mistakes. The community responds best to the truth.Students in any school situation respond to the sincerity of their teachers. Put the young people first and don't be afraid to walk around in their shoes once in a while.I enjoy "Teachers" and I am happy with the used VHS copy I found on eBay. A DVD would be nice from MGM considering the crap from the same era that has been released.
Night Owl Just watched this movie again (found the VHS at a Goodwill for 99 cents!). Two performances I noticed that I hadn't recognized from previous viewings: Anthony Heald as the "Narc", who later appeared as "Assistant Principal Scott Goober" in Boston Public, and Steven Hill as the attorney "Sloan", who later appeared as the main attorney "D.A. Adam Schiff" in Law And Order. I thought both of these performances were ironic and somewhat prophetic -- the high school narc turned principal, and Hill as a D.A. in both roles.That's all. Maybe someday this film will be released on DVD, and we won't have to search it out on VHS from thrift stores.