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The true story of a teacher (Denzel Washington) in Los Angeles who becomes the principal of George Washington Memorial High School. The school and its students are affected by the normal life of gangs and drugs in their lives.

This isn't the perfect film. Clearly it is hampered by the budget and restrictions of a television movie. It is probably a bit short, because the timeline seems awful constricted. But within the context of what the film is, it is incredible.

Years before the LA riots and bigger movies like "Dangerous Minds", we have this story of a school going from gangland to college material. And Denzel Washington leading the way. I had no idea he was acting in the mid-1980s, and giving such commanding performances. Has he ever given a bad performance? I think not, as he carried this film.

For a lower budget TV film, I was really surprised. When it started, it looked like a school video made to show kids why drugs are bad. I wasn't sure which way this was going to go when I put it on Netflix, but I had a feeling Denzel was gonna pull through! He's Denzel Washington for goodness sake! Honestly, if it weren't for him, this would have been a bit of a boring film. There is some cliché stuff in there and the quality is not too great, but with a good, grounded story, competent acting in the majority of the cast, and Denzel's skills, it's really a good movie. It's great to see him so young and so talented, before the fame. He really put his all into every performance, even when he wasn't making the big bucks. If you're into inspirational stories, films about education, or a Denzel fan, definitely watch it. You won't be disappointed.

1st time I saw this film was this year, and I was very impressed with Denzel's performance in this tribute. I enjoy watching old movies every now and then, but I wasn't expecting this to be as good as it actually was! Have told a lot of friends about the #YoungDenzel and his performance. "Don't believe me just watch". This tribute to McKenna was written well and the scenes we shot pretty well. Lynn Whitfield did a great job supporting Denzel, but when isn't she great?! Denzel did a great job showing the frustration & passion of a man caring about his school and students. Very Good! Lynn could have def had some more lines in this film, but she did have enough lines to feel the movie from the "supportive wife's" point of view.

As I write this review I'm getting the urge to watch "Devil in a Blue Dress", may just have to do that later!

#awynnisthename

Denzil plays a man name George McKenna who, according to the movie, created homeroom as a way to organization and dictate how many students are coming to class. I find that interesting being someone who went to high school with homeroom and not really given it much thought that their was a beginning.

It's so dated in the 80s with the hip hop soundtrack that includes the DJ scratches. It's over dramatic with the type of stereotypes of bad kids who are misunderstood and gangbangers that people will be making fun of and parodying today.

But it's Denzil. Like the Mighty Quinn would do for him in a short few years later, Hard Lessons was showing the world that Denzil could be a leading man with his performance of George McKenna, a man who cared and was not scared to put it all on the line cause he cared. Some of the actions he took was not liked by fellow teachers, and his dedication to his job cost him his woman (played by Lynn Witfield, who I don't think I would give up to help some kids.)

And like always, Denzil is killing it, even with the limits that television was trying to put on his skills, he shines.

For those of you who are fans of Denzil I would recommend you watch it, try not to laugh at the dated fashion and the message though accurate and positive was being beaten over your head with a melodrama stick. Just try to get into the early development of Mr. Washington.

http://cinemagardens.com

The George McKenna Story, is a 1986 CBS fact based made for t.v. movie, that starred Denzil Washington as the title role of George McKenna. Washington plays a school principal in a tough inner city Los Angeles high school out to rid it of drugs, gangs, low moral of teachers, and restore educational values. Nothing is new in this film that has not been seen before in films like The Blackboard Jungle(1955), and later in films like The Principal (1987), Lean On Me (1988), and Dangerous Minds (1994).

This movie was Denzil Washington's last television movie before he scored big a year later with the film "Cry Freedom". The George McKenna story also starred fine stage and screen actress Lynn Whitfield, who also was in another satisfying CBS fact based movie, Johnnie Mae Gibson, F.B.I. Though the movie is clichéd at times, the producers was intelligent to cast superior actors. The George McKenna Story, without Denzil Washington would have been a typical after school special with melodramatic violence. I gave this movie *** good, but nothing exceptionally special here. Check it out, it is on video.