High School High

A naive but dedicated educator (Jon Lovitz) decides to teach at the roughest high school in L.A. and once he arrived at this new job, he finds out the conditions at this school is tough, violent and students don't want to know anything about higher education. This educator befriends with an beautiful teacher (Tia Carrere) and an student (Mekhi Phifer), who wants an education. But this student has troubles with his previous gang members, especially with the leader (Guillermo Diaz). Who still wants him to sell drugs on the streets. This educator also has trouble with passionless principal (Oscar-Winner:Louise Fletcher) but he finds a way to teach his most unlikely students and giving them hope for education, which they never had before.

Directed by Canadian actor:Hart Bochner (PCU) made an amusing comedy that spoofs films like "Dangerous Minds", "Stand and Deliver", "The Deer Hunter" and other memorable films. Lovitz is extremely likable and he has some very big laughs in this silly comedy. Although this comic spoof is unusually realistic at other moments also. The film has an good message for any students for those who wants an education and to have a bright future but it is also hard, what it's wants to be. Ambitious to be sure but always watchable. Written by David Zucker (Airplane!, Baseketball, Ruthless People), Robert LoCash (CB4:The Movie, Naked Gun 33 1/3:The Final Insult) and Pat Proof (Hot Shots 1 & 2, Bachelor Party, Police Academy). (*** ½/*****).

John Lovitz is very likable and very funny in this spoof of an inner city high school. The story is familiar, new, naive, fish out of water teacher, is eventually accepted because of his commitment to his students. "High School High", like most spoofs is a hit or miss affair. Some of the gags fall flat, but the film totally redeems itself with several hilarious moments. Stereotypes are on parade, but that of course is the purpose of a spoof, and things move rather quickly, so even the misses are easily forgiven. John Lovitz carries the film, but the supporting cast is quite good also. Bottom line, this is better than 95% of the similar parodies "National Lampoon" spits out, and is recommended of it's type. - MERK

Jon Lovitz is possibly the most under-rated Saturday Night Live alumnus. While Mike Myers, Adam Sandler and others have gone on to bigger things, Lovitz has primarily been background fodder for the other ex-cast members. And he's good at this, but he's also good on his own - as this movie proves. High School High was the best school movie parody of its time (before "Not Another Teen Movie"), taking "Dangerous Minds" and making a plot we should actually care about and enjoy. And we also have Tia Carrera (not to be confused with Asia Carrera).

Lovitz plays a history teacher who wants to turn a school full of unwanted students into a fleet of tomorrow's best and brightest. With help from his street smarts and an intense chicken race scene, he might just accomplish his goals. But, oh no, what happens when a rival gang steals the tests or the class valedictorian turns to dealing drugs? You're just going to have to watch and see. Recommended (unless you don't like Lovitz, but then you have no sense of humor anyway).

Yes, I'll grant you this movie is less than perfect. The storyline doesn't always make sense. Not every joke works, but the movie's batting average is high enough to justify seeing it. And it's funnier to me than every Adam Sandler/David Spade/Chris Farley movie I've ever seen, in part because the three of them are nothing but annoying. Jon Lovitz, on the other, is a likable everyman you can root for. He carries the movie. Lovitz is an underrated comedian who always makes the material seem better than it is. His delivery and timing help make this movie enjoyable. And of course, Tia Carrere is absolutely gorgeous.

I'm not saying "High School High" is a classic. But I was amused by it. Like any Zucker production, the gags come fast and furious. They don't all work, but enough hit the target to make it worth seeing.

High School High is a very decent spoof comedy written by comedic geniuses Pat Proft and David Zucker. You recognize all these ordinary high school dramas like Dangerous Minds, The Substitute, High School Confidential and many others. And off-course there's many very absurd scenes that is very common to screenplays by Zucker.

Also you can enjoy performance of Jon Lovitz. His character Richard Clark isn't stupid and clumsy like we know all Leslie Nielsens characters but just naive. At the same time Lovitz doesn't leave a strike that he is taking it all too seriously. Louise Fletcher's and Tia Carrere's performances were in full seriousness at the same time. They both played like in usual roles in usual high school films.

High School High is a bit underrated but might not be as brilliant than the other films by Zucker/Craft but still it has it's moments.