STAND AND DELIVER
A film review by Jeff Meyer
Copyright 1988 Jeff Meyer
Telling a newsgroup populated by computer scientists and mathematicians that STAND AND DELIVER (side note: I cannot say this without thinking of John Cleese as Dennis Moore) is entertaining is rather like advising basketball fans to see HOOSIERS: you've got a pretty good shot that the readers will agree with you. However, in this case the film has other things going for it than the subject, i.e., a teacher who inspires a group of East-L.A. Chicano kids to study math and take the A.P. advanced calculus tests. It has some complex, entertaining characters, good acting and a story which is exciting to watch. Seeing kids becoming enthused over learning, and watching their confidence bloom over their intellectual abilities, is great viewing material, and it's handled well here. Edward James Olmos does a wonderful job as the math teacher who pushes his students and himself hard (perhaps too hard at times), and shows his pupils, their parents and the school that limits, defined by class, background and race are non-existent. That the film is based on a true story seems almost irrelevant -- anyone watching the film would know that it either did happen or could happen. It's just nice to be reminded of that fact.
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
INTERNET: moriarty@tc.fluke.COM
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