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The Substitute

1996, Movie, R, 114 mins

SUBSTITUTE, THE
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When a dedicated high school teacher (Diane Venora) clashes with a vicious student (Marc Anthony) and gets kneecapped for her trouble, soldier-of-fortune Shale (Tom Berenger) comes to the rescue, fairly oozing testosterone. Posing as a substitute history teacher, Shale and his pistol-packing pals get to the truth behind the trouble at Miami's Columbus High, and it's not the ignorant, foul-mouthed, barbarous students. Principal Rolle (Ernie Hudson) is a crook, the school buses are being used to transport drugs, the gangbangers are in cahoots with the administration and the cops are on the payroll. Shale is shocked. Shocked. This could have been trashy fun, if it had moved along briskly a la CLASS OF 1984. But it's self-important and dreary, marred by murky cinematography and painfully unconvincing pauses for character development. And in real life, isn't it guys just like Shale who blow up federal buildings full of children in their glorious pursuit of truth, justice and the American way? leave a comment
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Bleach, Volume 1: The Substitute (Episodes 1-4)
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