Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
Back
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro
Treat Williams in The Substitute: Failure Is Not an Option (2001)

Goofs

The Substitute: Failure Is Not an Option

Edit

Factual errors

In at least some scenes the rifles shown are clearly sub-calibre replicas and incapable of firing live ammunition.
Karl Thomasson Treat Williams is billed throughout all three movies as a former Special Forces soldier, yet he does not wear any of the insignia associated with the Army Special Forces (no jump wings, Ranger, Pathfinder, Special Forces insignia or associated sleeve tabs) and his lapel indicates he is an Armor Officer, not qualified for Special Forces.

Revealing mistakes

When Karl walks in on Jenny having sex with another man, the man clearly looks at Karl when he is standing in the doorway. However, shortly after Karl walks away, the character then asks Jenny what was the matter as if he didn't see Karl.
Captain Thomasson wears both the Defense Distinguished and Army Distinguished Service Medals, which are the two highest meritorious medals in the Army, reserved for generals (and very rarely colonels) who complete tours at a major joint or senior Army headquarters. It would be next impossible for a Captain to have earned even one of these medals, much less both.

Miscellaneous

Considering that the protagonist and his allies are former special forces operators, their actions demonstrate a serious lack of training or capabilities in that area.

Anachronisms

Colonel Brack is stated to be a highly decorated combat veteran, but none of his awards are combat medals. He wears basic service ribbons as well as non-combat medals for meritorious service.

Character error

Treat Williams is supposed to be a uniformed teacher/officer in a military academy. Yet his haircut is clearly not within US Army standards.

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More from this title

More to explore

Recently viewed

Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
Get the IMDb app
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
Follow IMDb on social
Get the IMDb app
For Android and iOS
Get the IMDb app
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • License IMDb Data
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.