Here's one of those immensely satisfying albeit somewhat unlikely flicks in which the scumbags really get their just deserts. http://kenberenger.com/ - Tom Berenger in The Substitute Movie While substituting, he learns that the plot is much more deeper than he thought, and the story continues from there. The Substitute is a 1996 American crime action thriller film directed by Robert Mandel and starring Tom Berenger, Ernie Hudson, Marc Anthony, William Forsythe, Raymond Cruz and Luis Guzmán . Get Movies. So Shale sets himself up as "Smith", the substitute teacher for Janes' class. Even more of a crime like Perfect Weapon, why hasn't this seen the time of day on DVD? Tom Berenger's fine performance in "The Substitute" makes the movie worth watching, A GOOD URBAN ACTION THRILLER WITH A CLASS CAST, "I'm the merciless god of anything that stirs in my universe.". Perhaps that's why it was successful enough to spurn a sequel (albeit, a weak one.). Everything in the movie was well-made. Oh well, he had his just desserts. Tom Berenger as Gary. This is like the ultimate "everyday" action movie. Media Format : AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC. What strikes me as strange is that this film has a 5.5 star rating on IMDb - why?? He becomes substitute teacher at his teacher fiancee's Miami high school to get those behind kneecapping her. The high school is in an at-risk neighborhood filled with violence and teenage pregnancy. Awards Soon he learns that Lacas and Rolle are associated to the drug lord Johnny Glades (Rodney A. It turns out that Lacas is one of Jane's students. He (Berenger) decides to investigate by joining the school as a high school substitute teacher when she (the girlfriend) is out sick. External Reviews Go on, treat yourself to this wonderful slice of carefree and highly satisfying escapism - you know you want to. You'll be glad you did. Following his feature debut in "The Sentinel" (1977), Berenger landed a significant role as Gary Cooper White, the psychopathic killer of "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977), who threatens a young teacher (Diane Keaton) looking for sexual excitement outside of her usually mundane existence. This is a movie to avoid, even for Tom Berenger fans. Tom Berenger is a beautiful warm hearted human actor. Then out of the blue, in broad daylight, in front of dozen's of onlookers, a thug runs up and whacks her knee with a lead pipe ala Nancy Kerigan's Olympic ordeal. It was released on DVD in 2006. These no-nonsense action films that try to convey some social statements have a soft spot in my books and therefore I sometimes rate these movies higher than they actually deserve. If you're from South Florida, it is a major bonus seeing SF locations although jumping from Fort Lauderdale to Miami stretches the reality of living in this area. Some of Jane's students happen to be members of a street gang known as the "Kings of Destruction" (KOD), led by Juan Lacas, who has been terrorizing Jane. 8 out of 10! Rent it, buy it, catch it on TV - do whatever you must to see this. It is entertaining, credible and keeps you hooked to see how they wrap it up. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. He's so underrated. A teacher is assigned to be the principal of a violent and crime-ridden high school. For a 1990s movie, this was pretty good for its time. He walks to meet her and save Jane from the attack of the strong punk Bull (Jim Warne) that breaks her kneecap and flees. Answer: I don’t think so. Mercenary Shale's team is retired after a (not so) covert mission in Cuba. The school principal, Glenn Plummer, provides a believable ringleader of the school gang with a powerful acting role. I guess that's about as far as the similarities go though as this is an undercover mission for some mercs/Nam vets where as the other film was terrorists taking over the school. This is one substitute teacher you do not want to mess with. An ex-military/special ops leader decides to infiltrate as a substitute teacher after his good female friend was beaten up by a local gang that resides in the school where she teaches in Miami. Here's our roundup of the best new series of the year so far, and where to watch them. Even the order of their deaths is preordained: First the extras die, then the bit players, then the featured actors, until finally only the hero and the villain are left. After a failed mission in Cuba with three casualties, the mercenary Jonathan Shale (Tom Berenger) and his team composed by Joey Six (Raymond Cruz), Rem (Luis Guzmán), Wellman (Richard Brooks) and Hollan (William Forsythe) return to Miami. Richard Gere as Tony. A big reason for this, in my opinion, is that Berenger did not specialize in the action genre, yet he had quite a few quality action movies to his credit including 1996’s The Substitute.. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best … Tom Berenger is an American television and motion picture actor. Only problem is that this is not played out in some South American jungle, but in a Miami high school. Not a bad movie very entertaining. But as a B-movie where the teachers get revenge, the bad guy dope-peddling punks and principal get their due, it is a virtual "The Patriot" for the high school system. "The Substitute" fits into the mold of likable action flicks that are not pure vehicles for their stars to show off their moves--e.g., any Seagal or Van Damme movie. It's got an anti drug message all mixed up with Beringer's team looting the drug money to ( are you ready for this?) Principals like that give discipline a bad name. An ex-military/special ops leader decides to infiltrate as a substitute teacher after his good female friend was beaten up by a local gang that resides in the school where she teaches in Miami. She asks him to invite a substitute to replace her and Shale adopts the alias James Smith to replace Jane. "The Substitute" is not high art. posing as a teacher, he and his team of mercenaries set a trap to catch the ringleaders in this explosive thriller. I guess it's a "B" movie that gets an A big time.. Yes, whilst realism this may be woefully lacking, in fun it more than makes up for! | Playing a tough-as-nails Vietnam War vet who still runs covert ops, he morphs into a teacher after his girlfriend is attacked while working at a school where cocaine deals far outnumber academic decathlons. It turns out that Lacas is one of Jane's students. Determined to root out this mencae, Shale goes undercover at a local highschool. Tom Berenger, why are you not in the same position Bruce Willis and Stallone are in now? Tom Berenger. A mercenary masquerades as a teacher in order to enter a tough urban school and wreak his revenge upon his brother's killer. As Shale investigates the attack on Jane, he discovers that drugs are being circulated into the school. He therefore divides his time between trying to pass himself off as a teacher, and combatting the schools' overwhelming drug problem. Nevertheless I decided to watch this flick - and after all it was really better than I had expected, because this movie contains enough action and suspense to keep you awake! Tom Berenger is known for playing tough guy roles as he's always good at it. After a botched mission in Cuba, professional mercenary Shale and his crew Joey Six, Hollan, Rem, and Wellman head home to Miami, Florida, where Shale is reunited with his fiance Jane Hetzko, who is a history teacher at Columbus High School in Miami. But as far as the action flick genre is concerned this might just rank up there as at least one of the best. His team helps him. Rack up 500 points and … You know when you're just about to roll over and go to sleep, and a late movie catches your eye.. and 90 minutes later you know you're gonna be tired tomorrow, but that's okay because you got to see a cool movie? I saw this film on telly a few nights ago (in March 2006) and ended up devoting 4 and a half hours watching both part one and part two of it because it was so engrossing. Some of Jane's students happen to be members of a street gang known as the "Kings of Destruction" (KOD), led by Juan Lacas, who has been terrorizing Jane. His team helps him. His father was a printer for the Chicago Sun-Times. ****SPOILERS**** "The Substitute" starts off like a solid inner city drama about violence in a high school in Miami with teacher Jane Hetzko, Diane Venora, after being threatened by one of the schools violent thugs Juan Laucas, Marc Anthony, goes to the schools principal Claude Rolle, Ernie Hudson, for help. Tom Berenger then comes (out of the blue) to her aid and carries her off to the hospital. This is one of those action films that will entertain you as long as you don't try to apply logic to it or take it seriously. Earn 125 points on every ticket you buy. There Shale is reunited with his girlfriend, who is a history teacher at Columbus High School in Inner-city Miami. A married New York cop falls for the socialite murder witness he's been assigned to protect. | Verona is first seen jogging along the beach while the viewer is treated to the soundtrack's Mongo Jerry's "In the Summertime". Tom Berenger plays the head of a mercenary team who return home from Cuba after a failed mission to find out that his girlfriend, a high school teacher has been injured during a high-school raucous. MA is a natural! Rated R for strong violence, language and brief nudity, Claude Rolle tells Shale about how the drugs are shipped to the school via bus, 8-Year-Old Boy Saves Sister After Learning First Aid From John Cena and Nickelodeon Show, 8-Year-Old Says John Cena’s Nick Show ‘The Substitute’ Taught Him How to Save Choking Sister (Video), Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment Signs ‘Mixed-Ish’ Star Mykal-Michelle Harris, The Worst Movies of All Time - by Fernando Rainer. Not high art, but you gotta enjoy teachers putting it to the punks! Only to be told that there's nothing that he can do, how many times have we heard that before. - MERK. Metacritic Reviews, Even though it was kind of a low-class type of story and movie with mostly bad, profane people tossing the f-word around like it was candy, it still was an enjoyable movie in a lot of parts and certainly had a satisfying ending. The name of the movie this time is “The Substitute.” It stars Tom Berenger as Shale, a mercenary soldier who has just returned after a raid on a Cuban drug depot. No-nonsense action with a bit of social input. J-lo's 3rd husband, Latin music singing sensation Mark Anthony appears in this film as a convincing teenage gang-banging leader. An F.B.I. He is also known for playing Jake Taylor in the Major League films and Thomas Beckett in … Other than that, flawless. Last of the Dogmen is a 1995 American Western adventure film written and directed by Tab Murphy, and starring Tom Berenger and Barbara Hershey. An ex-military/special ops leader decides to infiltrate as a substitute teacher after his good female friend was beaten up by a local gang that resides in the school where she teaches in Miami. Agent teams up with a tracker to pursue a murderer after he vanishes into the mountains and infiltrates a hiking group. Mark Anthony is outstanding as his top henchman and provides one of the best acting jobs of any singing entertainer since Mark Walberg. I guess the weakness in that, is that since it's so human and less flashy, it may very well be the reason he never became a huge star - just human. I love Ernie Hudson who plays a very unlikely principal, as well as Diane Venora and William Forsythe. Nothing beats a teacher putting a bunch of wannabe "tough" guys in their places and making it look easy. With Tom Berenger, Raymond Cruz, William Forsythe, Luis Guzmán. What he soon finds out is that the gang-banging rowdy school is corrupt from top to bottom. He becomes substitute teacher at his teacher fiancee's Miami high school to get those behind kneecapping her. Diane Keaton as Theresa. No cheap tricks like unnecessary explosions or animation matting needed to cement this action in reality. Cause it's a classic and perfect in it's genre. When the teacher is sidelined with the busted kneecap, her boyfriend, Shale (Tom Berenger), decides to pose as a substitute. When the scared Jane returns home, she meets he boyfriend Shale that was visiting her and they spend the night together. I guess what they say is true after all, it's amazing the sort of things you would find hiding in dark corners! He (Berenger) decides to investigate by joining the school as a high school substitute teacher when she (the girlfriend) is out sick. The whole plot was great, but I didn't know Marc Anthony did some acting as well. Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois, United States. Wikipedia It was intense, entertaining and fun to watch. Meanwhile, the history teacher at the Columbus High School Jane Hetzko (Diane Venora) is threatened by the gangster Juan Lacas (Marc Anthony), who is the leader of the dangerous street gang Kings of Destruction. The Substitute is a late bloomer in this department since it actually received a theatrical release and did fairly well. Grant) and using the school to store and distribute the drug in Miami. A total 90s B action movie, The Substitute coasts on its interesting premise, and manages to be an entertaining action flick overall. Although a b-movie, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Director: Robert Mandel | Stars: Tom Berenger , Raymond Cruz , William Forsythe , Luis Guzmán Maybe, maybe not. The acting, across the board, is excellent. Realistic 90's High School Action without any cheap clichés. Here's one of those immensely satisfying albeit somewhat unlikely flicks in which the scumbags really get their just deserts. For other uses, see Substitute (disambiguation). Former mercenary Karl Thomasson returns once again as a substitute teacher, this time to infiltrate a military school's faculty to cease the actions of white supremacists. No matter how many times this movie is shown on cable, I still have to pause for at least a few minutes and watch portions of it. Completely fed up, Shale decides to take the law into his own hands and fakes some credentials to become the substitute for his girlfriend. A high school substitute English teacher resorts to murder to protect her murderous dark past while seducing a student who begins to suspect her true identity. Todd Baldridge. Subsequently our hero enlists the aid of his mercenary buddies to lend a hand and all merry hell subsequently breaks out including in one hilarious scene, one of our boys firing off a rocket launcher down a school corridor(!!!!!) Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? After Jane's kneecap is broken by a big seminole named Bull, she tells Shale that she believes Lacas ordered the attack, so Shale goes undercover as Jane's substitute, and initially, Jane has no idea that Shale is doing this. I'm surprised that the principal at the school was the heavy in the movie. After having it out again with the same Laucas and his gang as she was going home Jane is later attacked while she was jogging by the beach and was crippled with a smashed kneecap. Subtitles: : English, Spanish, French. In this assumed role our man quickly weeds out the problem students with some no nonsense discipline which will be sure to raise a smile on most viewers faces. Even J Lo's present squeeze Marc Anthony gets into the act as the surly gang leading nemisis to Berenger's good guy portrayal. Tom Berenger stars as Shale, a professional mercenary suddenly out of a job. Birth Name: Thomas Michael Moore. Shale summons his crew and decide to clean the school and eliminate the gangsters. On a Friday, some weeks ago: the so-called television highlight for this evening was the "The Substitute", a film that got nothing but bad reviews by the TV guides. TOM BERENGER plays the former mercenary who takes the school kids plight to heart and wants to clear out the drug ring. It's pulp fiction with a human touch. Rent it, buy it, love it. User Ratings Rough Riders is a 1997 American television miniseries directed and co-written by John Milius about future President Theodore Roosevelt and the regiment known as the 1st US Volunteer Cavalry; a.k.a. The cast was great, the storyline was precise, just everything in there was just great. (1996). Alan Feinstein as Martin. Director Robert Mandel of School Ties fame does a phenomenal job tying up all the loose ends presented throughout Roy Frumkes and Rocco Simonelli's brilliant screenplay and treating the viewer to a climax that is both intensely shocking as well as entertaining. His girlfriend’s name is Jane Hetzko & is played by Diane Venora. Looking for Mr. Goodbar is a 1977 American crime drama film, based on Judith Rossner's best-selling 1975 novel of the same name, which was inspired by the 1973 murder of New York City schoolteacher Roseann Quinn, who led a double life.The film was written and directed by Richard Brooks, and stars Diane Keaton, Tuesday Weld, William Atherton, Richard Kiley, and Richard Gere. Tom Berenger leads a group of mercenaries with questionable motives, on a search and destroy mission. After Jane's kneecap is broken by a big seminole named Bull, she tells Shale that she believes Lacas ordered the attack, so Shale goes undercover as Jane's substitute, and initially, Jane has no idea that Shale is doing this. The Substitute (1996) Tom Berenger If scrambling around in video shop bargain bins was never your bag then you would have missed this teacher classic starring b-movie king Tom Berenger. Born in Chicago, Oscar nominee and Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Tom Berenger was born Thomas Michael Moore and raised in a working class Roman Catholic family of Irish descent. A movie special effects man is hired to fake a real-life mob killing for a witness protection plan, but finds his own life in danger. | He then poses as a teacher to teach a lesson, and get revenge, on the brash football jocks responsible. Was this review helpful to you? It is also so ridiculous that I have seen cartoons with more meaning. Directed by Robert Mandel. For a 1990s movie, this was pretty good for its time. The school is operated by a black principal who was an ex-cop in the gang unit. Maybe I should have given it a 10. Roseann Quinn, a 27-year-old New Yorker, visits Tweed’s Bar on the Upper West Side and is picked up by her soon-to-be killer. Think Dangerous Minds crossed with Death Wish and you'll have a pretty good gist of things here.The ever excellent Tom Berenger stars as a tough as nails mercenary who seeks retribution after his teacher girlfriend is viciously assaulted on the orders of a high school gang calling themselves the Kings Of Destruction. THE SUBSTITUTE: w/ Tom Berenger Shale, a battle -scarred mercenary, finds that the war has moved closer to home when his girlfriend is attacked by a ruthless band of teenagers. Not this one. | On the next morning, Shale has a meeting with the rogue lawyer Matt Wolfson (Cliff De Young) that offers a job to protect a shipment of drugs but Shale declines the offer. Mercenary Shale's team is retired after a (not so) covert mission in Cuba. Run time : 1 hour and 54 minutes. :). What more do you want from a movie? Ebert reviewed it as a serious film and gave it a very negative review. The 80s Movie Club - For Tough Guys - Platoon/Raging Bull/Rain Man/Die Hard/Terminator. Priscilla Pointer as Mrs. Dunn. Additional kudos go to Ernie Hudson who gives a riveting performance as the high school principal on the brink. buy the underprivileged high school students electronic equipment and books. 11 of 14 people found this review helpful. FAQ Use the HTML below. I liked this movie very well. Not as demanding as the brilliant "One Eight Seven" starring Samuel L. Jackson but definitely good entertainment! The school's basement is being used as a drug haven in which the principal of the school (played by perpetual-principal in films Ernie Hudson) is the ring leader. A Drug Enforcement Agent (Baldwin) goes undercover on a sky diving team to track down illegal drugs. Directed by Richard Brooks; Screenplay by Brooks; Produced by Freddie Fields The movie starts off with a former marine's (Shale) girlfriend being assaulted by a fat cuban who is hired by some of her students. When he returns home to his girlfriend Jane (Diane Venora), a teacher, he's in time to witness her getting her legs broken by a thug who represents a gang. This is the point where I should have hit the stop eject button, but no I hung around for the final showdown where the high school is blown to smithereens. This movie is about as much fun as a basket of dead bunnies. Miami Senior High School, Miami, Florida, USA. This movie knows right from wrong and it gives us the satisfaction in a non cheesy way of supporting our belief that good will win in the end. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. The Worst Movies of All Time - by Fernando Rainer. Hell, I managed to obtain a legit DVD from Sweden(with a very cool menu by the way!) Tom Berenger is an American actor. The high school is in an at-risk neighborhood filled with violence and teenage pregnancy. He goes undercover as a substitute teacher in order to bust a dangerous street gang. Watched it as a kid. The story is quite far-fetched but interesting in any case and actors like Tom Berenger, Diane Venora or Ernie Hudson do a solid job. If anyone's read the War Journals, it echos a very similar storyline where Frank Castle goes undercover in a rundown school. Written by Matters turn out to be a bit more complex however when it is revealed that the school principle is not quite such a genial chap as he at first appears.....in fact far from it as he is orchestrating the gang within his school and trafficking drugs via them. A US Marine sniper is partnered with a SWAT member to take out rebel leaders in the jungles of Panama. The Substitute (1996) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Staff Sergeant Bob Barnes in Platoon. Tom Berenger, Actor: Inception. Coming along some five years after the similar themed 'Toy Soldiers', two films about schools under fire from criminals. DIANE VENORA plays the dedicated teacher who wants nothing more than to teach her students. Nowadays films like these go directly to video or television and the ambition that was invested in these films is today nonexistent. After a horrific car wreck leaves him an amnesiac, a man slowly begins to unravel his shocking past. Tom Berenger plays the head of a mercenary team who return home from Cuba after a failed mission to find out that his girlfriend, a high school teacher has been injured during a high-school raucous. At a college visit to a war buddy's professor daughter, mercenary Karl Thomasson finds her brutally beaten. It creates almost instant rapport by sympathetic central characters, even when the plot is a tedious retreaded farrago of numerous other flicks. I highly recommend this movie (even on standard TV having to wait through the ads is not a problem). She reports the menace with her colleague Darrell Sherman (Glenn Plummer) to the Principal Claude Rolle (Ernie Hudson), but he does not take any attitude. View production, box office, & company info. The Substitute Faster was released on November 24, 2010, and grossed $35 million against production budget of $24 million. You can't help but smile and root and rejoice when punk after punk gets thrown out the upper floor window by Beringer while the principal relaxes in his office, assuming the punks will prevail. From Wings to Parasite, here's a look back at all of the Best Picture Oscar winners in the history of the ceremony. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Actors : Tom Berenger, Raymond Cruz, William Forsythe, Luis Guzmán, Richard Brooks. Sorry FT. Berenger gives the performance of his life here as a mercenary who goes undercover as a teacher at a school run by drug dealing thugs. Fun movie. The rest of the film is spent on Berenger's character trying to infiltrate the scheme while many of his beloved come in harms way. If you like gritty, real, down-to-earth action with high school kids who are more than cardboard characters, this is a movie you'll love. If I have one complaint about this movie, it would be the lack of attractive babes. There are alot of different movies based upon school disruption, but the best ones I've seen thus far are The Substitute and 187. With the way society is, this film has a strong message on how to deal with scumbag students who won't tow the line (yeah, call me Dirty Harry!) At the school, Shale meets principal Claude Rolle, librarian Hannah Dillon, and english and drama teacher Darrell Sherman. Search for "The Substitute" on Amazon.com, Title: The Substitute is every bit as good as Die Hard and Rambo, switching these backgrounds for a gritty school in LA. Tom Berenger, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Carla Gugino also appear. Buy Movies. To me, (and would have to agree with another comment on this board), this is very much an unofficial Punisher movie. Never even thought bout it being a spin off of Platoon tell I just rewatched it. And what better way for our hero to get up close and personal with his quarry than to take the now vacant teaching position his girl friend has left at school and to pose as a substitute. "The Substitute" is a pure 90's Action Thriller with a dangerous urban setting like alot of Thriller films had back in the 90's, as there was abit of a sub-genre about Urban dangers, films like Judgment Night, Falling Down, Dangerous Minds, Trespass, Unlawful Entry, Out For Justice, Marked For Death amongst others, the fear of the street gangs & the thugs & the drug dealers was everywhere during the 90's & fed into the movies!!! Tom attended the University of Missouri to study journalism. It's a shame that he played a villain. After a botched mission in Cuba, professional mercenary Shale and his crew Joey Six, Hollan, Rem, and Wellman head home to Miami, Florida, where Shale is reunited with his fiance Jane Hetzko, who is a history teacher at Columbus High School in Miami. He is suave, in-control personality gives the chemistry needed to make this a hit. Anyway he is a big part in making this movie your ultimate take it easy and enjoy flick. Question: Does Tom Berenger get the credit he deserves for his multiple contributions to the world of action entertainment? The high school is in an at-risk neighborhood filled with violence and teenage pregnancy. The action is never static, the fights are believable in comparison to standard Hollywood fare, the locations are real and the overall dialog and cinematography is outstanding. He makes roles seem human. Most high school films are about hope. William Atherton as James. Richard Kiley as Mr. Dunn. The beach scene where Berenger's girlfriend played by the lovely Diane Verona a perfect example of why this movie is a real standout. He becomes substitute teacher at his teacher fiancee's Miami high school to … Release date : June 18, 1997. My only complaint was that were not more scenes in the movie like this one. At the school, Shale meets principal Claude Rolle, librarian Hannah Dillon, and english and drama teacher Darrell Sherman. Tuesday Weld as Katherine. This movie, set in South Florida, incorporates history and realistic action to weave an entertaining story of South Florida crime.