Cheaters (2000) (TV)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

John Stockwell

Writer (WGA):

John Stockwell (written by)

Release Date:

20 May 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Putting The System To The Test

Plot:

Eleven students conspire with their teacher to cheat on an academic competition.

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | Cheating | Competition | Chicago Illinois | Motivation

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Jeff Daniels	...	Dr. Gerard Plecki
Jena Malone	...	Jolie Fitch
Paul Sorvino	...	Constantine Kiamos
Luke Edwards	...	Darius Bettus
Blake Heron	...	Matt Kur
Dov Tiefenbach	...	Irwin Flickas
Dan Warry-Smith	...	Paul Kurgan
Anna Raj	...	Agnieska Maryniarczyk
Dominik Podbielski	...	Dominik Wesolowski
Ned Eisenberg	...	Robert Clifford
Robert Joy	...	Larry Minkoff
Lenka Peterson	...	Mrs. Plecki
Alex Poch-Goldin	...	Jerry Marconi (as Alex Poch Goldin)
Karen Glave	...	Corrine Davis
Marcia Bennett	...	Joan Isenberg

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:R | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Central Tech. High School, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

De Passe Entertainment

Trivia:

The film is based upon the events of the infamous Steinmetz Cheating Scandal that took place at the Illinois Academic Decathlon State Championship in 1995, in which the real-life Dr. Gerald Plecki and his seven students did lose to Whitney Young High School at the Regional Decathlon Championship but mysteriously won the State Championship. Later the students were accused of cheating by the State Decathlon Committee, the Department of Education, and Whitney Young (which lost to Steinmetz at the competition). It was eventually discovered that the students did cheat, although several of the students to this day maintain that they did not.

Goofs:

Continuity: Although the scandal took place in 1995, the bottom of the page of the Chicago Sun-Times that Irwin Flickas is looking at clearly states "Vol. 53 No. 11 2000".

Quotes:

Dr. Gerald Plecki: Do you think Bill Gates fired the guys who brought him the Apple Operating system code? He probably promoted them.

Movie Connections:

Features Stand and Deliver (1988)

Is winning everything?

This movie presents a real moral dilemna... should students who have always been thought of as losers take the chance and cheat. The teacher has the toughest decision to make- whether to let his students cheat and what to do if they get caught. Jeff Daniels plays the part well- showing how he is torn- wanting his students to get recognition and wanting to teach them right from wrong. This movie is a very good look at the moral questions we all face in life.