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.
