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Dangerous Minds

Dangerous Minds

Drama · 1995

Former Marine Louanne Johnson lands a gig teaching in a pilot program for bright but underachieving teens at a notorious inner-city high school. After having a terrible first day, she decides she must throw decorum to the wind. When Johnson returns to the classroom, she does so armed with a no-nonsense attitude informed by her military training and a fearless determination to better the lives of her students -- no matter what the cost.

Movie details

Dangerous Minds

“She broke the rules... and changed their lives.”

1995 Drama 1h 39m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.0 / 10

Community rating

Former Marine Louanne Johnson lands a gig teaching in a pilot program for bright but underachieving teens at a notorious inner-city high school. After having a terrible first day, she decides she must throw decorum to the wind. When Johnson returns to the classroom, she does so armed with a no-nonsense attitude informed by her military training and a fearless determination to better the lives of her students -- no matter what the cost.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Dangerous Minds?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

John N. Smith

Written by

Ronald Bass

Michelle Pfeiffer

Michelle Pfeiffer

Louanne Johnson

George Dzundza

George Dzundza

Hal Griffith

Courtney B. Vance

Courtney B. Vance

Mr. George Grandey

Robin Bartlett

Robin Bartlett

Mrs. Carla Nichols

Beatrice Winde

Beatrice Winde

Mary Benton

John Neville

John Neville

Waiter

Lorraine Toussaint

Lorraine Toussaint

Irene Roberts

Court is in session

Put Dangerous Minds on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.