Killing Mr. Griffin (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Jack Bender

Writers (WGA):

Lois Duncan (novel)
Michael Angeli (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

7 April 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

There's only one way to make the grade...

Plot:

The high school students didn't mean to kill Mr. Griffin. They wanted to make him suffer. But when their mean English teacher turns up dead...

Plot Keywords:

Cover Up | Blindfold | Video Camera | William Shakespeare | Rock Climbing

Cast

Scott Bairstow	...	Mark Kinney
Amy Jo Johnson	...	Susan McConnell
Mario López	...	Dave Ruggles
Chris Young	...	Jeff
Jay Thomas	...	John Griffin
Michelle Williams	...	Maya
Jennifer Hammon	...	Bree Gunderson
Mindy Spence	...	Tori
Maitland Ward	...	Candice Lee
Cordelia Richards	...	Kathy Griffin
Joan McMurtrey	...	Janet McConnell
Scott Jaeck	...	Vince McConnell
James McDonnell	...	Willy Kinney
Rhonda Dotson	...	Dolly Luna
Joey Zimmerman	...	Nicholas McConnell

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence and some sensuality.

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Netherlands:16 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Company:

Bonnie Raskin Productions

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Right after the kidnapping, when Susan goes into the candy store; the Boom Mike and its operator can be seen right over Maya's left shoulder in the reflection on the right side of the stores window.

Movie Connections:

References Animal House (1978)

HOW DECISIONS IN OUR LIFE CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

Looking at this film, I am reminded of my life in school, and teenage years when everything seems possible, and nothing could possibly harm us. Invincible, we would dare to do some ridiculous things, take risks that were on the edge of becoming potentially dangerous, maybe even lethal.

This television film tells of this thin line of what is right and wrong, doing on a dare, taking a risk, something goes horribly wrong and these youngsters will have to live with those decisions forever. Youth following the voice of the leader, the basketball star, the budding bigshot.

The young people in the film did a great job in their characters, it is a solid film, and seen through the eyes of one young woman, who is sucked into a world where she thinks it would be cool; oh how one decision can change our life forever.

I think it's more a film for those who survived adolescents, who survived high school and college and can look back and think - oh the mistakes I could have made, wow, some guardian angel must have been sitting on my shoulder.