User Reviews

I had no interest in seeing this movie when it came out in 1995. It just seemed to be another movie about angry inner city youth struggling to graduate from high school. So running into this tonight, I finally decided go give in and give it a watch.

My final assessment is that although this movie bears comparison to a long list of great-teacher-inspires-kids movies, I now embrace the movie because Michelle's portrayal brings it over the top, also, I was positively impressed with Renoly Santiago's honest and sensitive reading.

It is easy, as I am ample testament, to dismiss movies that appear to be clones, but since this was reportedly based on a true story of an ex-military woman, it either demonstrates that the story does not emerge from the minds of banal-thinking writers, but from fact, or that the stories like these repeat themselves daily in the fabric of America and need to be told under as many guises as there are stories. WHY? Because all of us need inspiration and hope in our lives.

This movie gives us a little hope that there are people in the world prepared to go to extreme lengths for the good of others. This is a heart warming story, and although at times it's quite tragic, it shows a growing bond between a group of socially discarded students and a very special teacher.

Michelle Pfeiffer's performance is simply wonderful, she captures the passion and warmth of her character perfectly. The rest of the cast are a little mixed, but there is plenty of strength in their performances to cover any cracks.

Overall this is a highly emotional and educational journey, that is enjoyable to watch.

8/10 If you enjoyed this watch 187, its even better.

I have a feeling a lot who were teenagers when this came out will be watching it today due to Coolios passing. I have tp admit out of This type of 90s type school Genre it wasnt my favourite at the time , 187 with Samuel Jackson was. However this film was iconic more at the time because of the awesome soundtrack song by Coolio Gangsters paradise. I have just rewatched it and found I loved it a lot more than I did back then, The nostalia for styling everyone has their own individual looks. Unlike the clones today. The troubled kids are likeable. Their acting is goid enough, the story is smooth to past the time and as always Michelle phieffer shines. Her emotional tears are so genuine. She reminded me of myself when im genuinely upset.. I only wish this film ended with her taking tge scumbag principals eother head off or his job.

One thing I've learned through th years is that use your own opinion when it comes to movies. Just because someone says it a bad movie doesn't quite mean you wont like it. Dangerous Minds is an excellent movie. I've read reviews on this movie and saying that this was just another Hollywood movie. Their wrong! I watched this movie and I was really impressed by it. For me it was truly inspirational. Michelle Pfeiffer was excellent in this movie. There are some who says that Michelle isn't tough enough to play the character, but sorry to burst their bubble but it's called acting. You can be the weakest person on earth but if your truly a good actor then you can make anyone believe your a tough guy or girl. The music was awesome. The cast was great. The Plot and script was exceptional. I recommend this movie to anyone. You wont be disappointed. I sure wasn't.

I'm studying to become a teacher at my college, I have learned so much so far. Student teaching was one of the best things I ever did in my life because I got to learn even more and it was more visual and personal. A few things for people who saw this film and don't know what I'm talking about when I say "unrealistic", number one rule of teaching is that you do not become that personal with students, such as inviting them to stay in your house because you feel that they are in danger. Michelle would have been fired on the spot for several things she did in the film.

But still, I really liked Dangerous Minds. It really touched my heart, because I felt for Michelle's character. How hard it is to want to get into a student's life, but you can't because otherwise, you have stepped out of line. She was above the system and was truly a good person who wanted to just help her students. I loved it's message of how a person can either choose to stay down or hold their head high. I would recommend this movie, it's a tear jerker, but a decent flick and much better than today's movies.

7/10

The autobiography of LouAnne Johnson , a 10-year Marine turned inspirational inner-city high-school teacher . It is a place where over-age ethnic actors vye for the attention of the camera and pay no heed to their English teacher until she gets relevant by quoting Bob Dylan . Naturally , Johnson/Pfeiffer has to take on the establishment educational system to fight for her kids . A showcase role for Michelle Pfeiffer as two-fisted enough LouAnne who tames a noisy class formed by smart but rebellious teenagers and turns them into achievers. Within a week, she got an entire classroom of "unteachable" punks to respect her...trust her...and even admire her !. That was the easy part !. She Broke The Rules... And Changed Their Lives !.

A touching , gentle and standard portrait of the influence of a teacher upon a classroom of poverty-ridden teens . This entertaining as well as thought-provoking film contains big feeling , drama , thrills , emotion and with a quite convincing , studious atmosphere . This ¨Dangerous minds¨ bears remarkable resemblance to ¨Stand and deliver¨ and especially ¨To Sir, with Love¨(1967)¨ with Sidney Poitier in a similar role to Michelle Pfeiffer , but it has nothing to do with the classic ¨Blackboard jungle¨ (1955) by Richard Brooks, written by Evan Hunter with Glenn Ford , Anne Francis and Sidney Poitier himself ; the latter dealing with a ominous group of students carrying out threats , robbing with gangs terrorizing the entire high school by executing crimes and violence at random , then the English teacher Glenn Ford pulls off his owns objectives , leading to an ever higher tension , in fact , due to the film violent content was heavily censored . This ¨dangerous Minds¨ is more sensitive , enjoyable and charming than the previous film , though Ronald Bass's hackneyed script is all carrot and no stick , at all . If it looks more than a little simplistic and dated nowadays , there are good-natured messages and nice sentiment . Stars Michelle Pfeiffer giving life the true story of the turning-round of a ghetto classroom by an attractive ex-Marine turned teacher who strikes most of the right emotional chords . Pfeiffer's a complete show , if you can buy Pfeiffer as an ex-jarhead , a tough teacher should be no problem . Pfeiffer gives one of his finest acting as the teacher who instills in his pupils a belief in themselves and respect for one other . A subplot love story involving Pfeiffer and Andy Garcia was cut from the movie to focus on the teacher/student byplay , which seems to be a real shame . Actually , it's quite a respectable piece of work , a breathtaking tough-love interpretation from Pfeiffer , being accompanied by some familar faces , such as : George Dzundza , Courtney B. Vance , Robin Bartlett , John Neville, Lorraine Toussaint and some newcomers , unknown but sympathetic adolescents : Renoly Santiago , Wade Dominguez , Bruklin Harris , Marcello Thedford , among others.

The motion picture financed by the powerful producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson and also under Michelle Pfeiffer's production company, in fact the film's success bolstered Pfeiffer's reputation as an actress/producer. Being competently directed by John N. Smith and Elaine May did an uncredited storyplay rewrite . A compelling leap into into the mainstream by this Canadian director , after numerous well-praised but out-of-the-way pictures Rating : 7/10 , better than average , kinda squishy and surprisingly successful . Well worth watching . The pic will appeal to Michelle Pfeiffer fans .

Dangerous Minds was surprisingly good. I recommend it to an older crowd. I just wished urban high schools had a teacher like Michelle Pfeiffer.

For anyone who's lived the life portrayed in this movie are the only one's who truly know it's essence and value. For those who call it 'questionable' apparently haven't lived life outside of a plastic bubble. Dangerous Minds is an excellent adaption in its own and holds many memories for me and for others as well. I can't imagine someone not taking to this film. and being infinitely inspired. People tend to forget where movies originate from, they mainly based on real events and real life itself and what life is really about. I'll never forget what this movie has taught me and what it won't ever let me forget. Dangerous Minds is about love, hate, fear, and strength. Dangerous Minds is about life.

I seen the movie before 20 years ago, in that time I didn't know about mr. Lauren is reallaity Now I know and I feel hard times for the teachers in high school, but she's told us a bout genration from poor earia they dont have leader or mentor to take they hand to right way I loved the way she taken to inside they brain , actually I would liked if I have some one like her in my earlier life

This film is corny. If the definition of the phrase 'corny' ever needed to be visually explained or proved, then this movie should be used and showcased, as the front runner of all things 'corny'. From the overly dominant soundtrack, to the exaggerated stereotypes, this cheesy 'dangerous high school meets inspirational teacher' flick can be more than cringe worthy at times.

The acting was generally poor, the dialogue was abysmal, the script was flawed and somewhat unacceptable, and the characters were over the top and unrealistic.

The whole production was one big cliché, and whilst I can respect that this picture was, loosely, based on a true story, the overall presentation was way too generic. The producers and director chose to play it safe with this one, using all the standard ingredients, straight from the recipe book.

The soundtrack was one big overkill. Music should be carefully placed into the mix, to enhance the visual action, and strengthen the emotions. This was not the case here. At times, it almost felt as if the visual aspect came secondary to the music, almost like a fully blown musical. Overly dramatic music was placed in very early scenes and it just didn't fit.

The first half of the movie was absolutely diabolic. I was tempted to switch it off, but was stopped by my strict motto, which is that you have no right to review a film that you have not seen in full. Fortunately, the movie did get better, eventually.

After getting over the initial shock, of being almost sickened by the overly dramatised fairytale/soap opera approach, the plot started to thicken and I found myself slightly more engrossed and actually began warming to some of the characters - To enable this, I had to accept the movie for what for it was, and stop picking at it.

When this feature managed to 'get it right', it provided some touching moments for the viewer. Occasionally, suitable backing music would drop in the right places, with good timing, hence enhancement of the scene.

Surprisingly, by what I'd class as some kind of freak of nature, the movie actually managed to, slightly, win me over.

As the credits rolled, I decided that I had mildly enjoyed the second half of the film, but my grievances were still strong, and the flaws were unforgivable, in my opinion.

I'll give this a generous score of 5/10.

Louanne Johnson (Michelle Pfeiffer) is an ex-marine hired as a teacher in a high-school, where the students are Afro-Americans, Latinos and poor persons. She has recently separated from her husband and her friend and also teacher in this school Hall Griffith (George Dzundza) got this temporary job for her. After a terrible reception from the students, she tries unconventional methods of teaching, using karate, Bob Dylan lyrics, friendship and attention, and gets the trust of the students on her.

I like this movie a lot and probably today I have watched it for the fifth or sixth time! It is a remake of the wonderful "To Sir With Love", updated for the end of the Twentieth Century: instead of England, USA; instead of the Afro-British engineer Mark Thackeray performed by Sidney Poitier in a Caucasian classroom, the blonde ex-marine Michelle Pfeiffer in a Afro-American and Latino classroom; instead of Lulu and the final dance, a rap (music and dance); instead of a museum, an amusement park. The soundtrack is marvelous, but the introduction of the movie in black and white with Coolio's "Gangsta In Paradise" is overwhelming and fits perfectly to this magnificent movie. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Mentes Perigosas" ("Dangerous Minds")

Note: On 16 Oct 2020, I saw this film again.

I went to the school, Carlmont High School in Belmont, CA in the late 80's/early 90's which is when the teacher Louann Johnson(?) whatever her name is taught there. Having spoken with some people who had her as a teacher she rather exaggerated her 'saving angel' effect, at least on her regular classes & one of the people she features as a chapter in her book "My Posse Don't Do Homework". (not to mention as an Eng. teacher, she didn't write very well.) Anyway, the book further misrepresents the school. Yes, it is a fairly middle to upper middle class area where less economically disadvantaged kids get bused in from EPA (east Palo Alto)- yes, unfortunately as in most of our society it tends to be split on racial lines. However, a. our school looks like concrete bunkers, (I heard they filmed Burlingame High). b. We've never had metal detectors for guns & such. Our school is not some inner-city LA school like it was portrayed in the film. Granted, I experienced the high school from a relatively privelleged side of it, I don't know what that special program that the film concentrates on was like. And for a lot of those kids, their life in EPA was comparable to the stories you hear of inner-city/East LA kinda life. It's like any movie where you know the "real story". Those who don't know the school/area would probably like it since they don't see the errors. As a fictional story about a fictional school, I liked it.

Although it *did* get sort of get close to that stereotype of brave white person coming to rescue the poor Latino/African-American kids single-handedly.

When this movie was first released, I refused to line up and watch it. I thought it was another of those simplistic and "popular" - love the teacher, fight delinquency - movies. In fact I refused to be taken for granted by clever Hollywood people who, usually, produce very "sweet" and "educative" movies. Well, a couple of years later, while I was refurbishing my own movie collection I stumbled on a special LaserDisc sale and bought this one as well (just to see what all the fuzz about it was really about). First of all, I was amazed to know that it is based on a true story, just like "Lean on me" and what caught my attention was that the teacher in question didn't belong to that profession: she was a discharged and unemployed USMC officer. I expected a war between her and the pupils she would "drill". What I received in return was an education on how one can be prejudiced, in more than just one way... Having served in the Swiss Army and having been a teacher myself, I could really empathize with the Character played by Michelle Pfeiffer. My first teaching approach, unlike hers, was disastrous to say the least... The entire movie deals with LITTLE, REAL, EVERYDAY problems and not with the big issues of life and this is probably why this movie was summarily discarded as being second rate. But when we consider how children consider and perceive our world nowadays, it's exactly what they expect us, the adults, to do as well. That's to say, take our time to explain to them the everyday happenings in their little worlds. Why mom and dad went their separate ways, why do they have to cope with homework they cannot understand and so on and so forth. This movie is a teaching lesson for teachers, not a moralizing or preachy one. It shows us how it should be done, nothing more. In Drama one says "less is more", why shouldn't it apply to life? We always want to set standards and a higher example to the students we are supposed to tutor, but what about our commitment to give them what they really want: lend them an ear when they talk, a heart when they feel sorrow, and sometimes, when required, a firm authority to look up to? Many colleagues I have met have forgotten what teaching is all about. It's not a simple profession to earn your life, it's much more than this, it's a mission, a passion, a drive, a call, just like the one an actor or a director have. In this instance in my own opinion, "Dangerous Minds" has amply achieved its goals. For the detractors of this tiny movie I would suggest to take a better and closer look, they might still learn something... But please, take your time and concentrate on it. This is really not a "Popcorn" and "Beer" movie.

I empathize with Michelle Fieffer's character, my teacher college threw me into inner city Schools with every social and ethnic issue and said teach. W learnt how to teach white middle class schools using 60 year old textbooks . I was young and naive and they sent me to the toughest inner city schools in the city with teachers who could NOT care about the students. Previously I had been a volunteer teacher teaching ESL and remedial students and loved teaching None of the tutors and lecturers had obviously taught in an ethnic migrant school where student weren't 'eager' to learn, responded to order and discipline. I complained like Michelle and got the same response , it's your fault, a teacher tutor told me she hated poetry when I asked if they learnt poetry, the teachers came back from 'long' lunches and had the students open their textbooks and continue to answer the questions at the back of the chapter and once their class hours were finished (4-8 hours) out the door ASAP. I was not allowed to touch the students but when you called security someone had been injured, violence prevention was not taught in college. Don't become a teacher there is no 'reward' in it there is only violence and hate from students and teacher colleagues want you to fail

The reason I'm watching this movie is all about coolio death on the 28th few days ago RIP to him

Let's get back to the movie it is quite inspirational and how an ex marine dealing with the delinquents of the school giving them poems and compared the poems to Bob Dylan lyrics fascinated me... as a Dylan fans my self makes me wanna read about Dylan Thomas the poetry

Although there is not any actual violence or gory scene. The movie kept me interested and stuck to it till the 90th minutes with all the lit soundtrack... Michelle done it again like she does in every of her movies

The scene might be out dated without mobile or wifi as of today standard yet... the monologue is motivational yet inspiring for the younger generation... give it a go not to say highly recommended but still very worth your watch.

I'm not about to call this movie a "feel-good movie" or a "coming-of-age-tale." What am I gonna do is call it what it really is - a great movie.

Michelle Pfeiffer is at her best. She is absolutely fantastic in this movie. The actors in the classroom hold their own against her as well.

Basically, the plot is as follows: White teacher enters a mostly-minority "alternative" (read: group of kids that act out) classroom and commands respect. In turn, she changes their lives as they change hers. It's basically the story of Raul, Emilio, and Carrie, and how they cope with life as a result of Ms. Johnson.

The movie has some really good lines (my favorite: "You asked me how I was gonna save your life. This is it. This moment.") and really good drama. Sure, some of it is hokey-it-only-happens-in-the-movies, but the majority of it is good. I'm a guy, and I shed a few tears.

Overall: 9/10.

LouAnne Johnson (Michelle Pfeiffer) is a marine getting a divorce from her abusive husband. Her friend Hal Griffith (George Dzundza) gets her a job at his high school. She's shocked to find her class full of problem kids bused in from the poor part of the city. Principal Grandey is uncaring and insists on people knock on his door. Emilio Ramírez is the most problematic student. Callie Roberts is the smart one. LouAnne tries to help Raúl Sanchero as well as her other students. She uses karate, Bob Dylan, rewards and poetry to get to her kids.

This is another one of those cliché white savior teacher genre. I don't have any complaints about Pfeiffer or any of the kids' acting. I really like Renoly Santiago and Bruklin Harris. The main problem is the simplistic ideas being presented. The story isn't the most compelling. I am glad that LouAnne doesn't fall in love with another teacher. Her friendship with Hal is quite refreshing. It's too bad that the movie trots out all the old standards without adding anything new.

Well..for me it was very interesting to watch a movie like because it shows how a bright person can change a ''dangerous mind'' and make them active rather than rejecting them and drive them to the streets selling drugs and the likes...the ideas is this movie were very awesome and hitting on the core of the American society in the early 90's,so that it criticizes the whole daily life in an inner city as a prototype...family,relationships,fear,fights,power,those are some of the crucial themes the movie .Actually, the teacher did a good job with the collaboration and curiosity of those students,because they feel that there is something special about the new teacher which they lacked with the previous one and also because she gave them more freedom and behaved toward them as friends not students,,,:) well done teacher!!!

Cheesy Cringe-worthy Punch-in-the-face-worthy soppy acting from Michelle Pfeiffer Stereotypes blown totally out of proportion Poor camera work Diabolical musical overlay Badly scripted Rushed feel No real closure

I cannot criticise this movie enough. While I was expecting a typically dark gangster/student-type movie, addressing the inner-city problems of troubled kids in poverty-stricken areas, and the interesting, inspiring attempts of an admirable teacher to get to the bottom of their various dysfunctions, what I instead got was something so cheesy it would have been better suited to Broadway, if they threw in some hastily written musical numbers.

For something (slightly) more realistic, see Coach Carter, but please, please, don't waste the 1 hr 30 mins I did on Dangerous Minds, the mis-titled waste of film roll that it is.