187: code meurtre

I am an ex-school teacher and while the school I taught in was NOT as rough as the ones you see in the film, the movie does highlight the biggest problem I see in public schools today. The bad kids, essentially, run things and there's no accountability. As is often the case, teachers are never told about students' criminal records I had students who were convicted sex offenders and I was never informed of this and only found out later. A friend of mine taught a student who paralyzed a previous teacher by stabbing her...and the teachers were never notified! I understand about the right to privacy, but this is insane...especially since these kids pose a serious risk to others. I mention all this because I have my own biases about this film...your reaction might be different.

When the story begins, Mr. Garfield (Samuel L. Jackson) is working as a substitute in New York City. One of his students has a record of stabbing folks...and because Garfield wasn't prepared AND the kid was not appropriate for this school, tragedy strikes. Garfield is stabbed many times from behind by this sociopath...and it's shocking he didn't die. And, there was no warning.

Fifteen months have passed. While it's not surprising Garfield moved to another part of the country, he didn't pick well as now instead of the roughest and out of control New York City schools, he's now substitute teaching in one of the tougher inner city schools in Los Angeles. Now instead of a few budding criminals in his classes, the classes are filled with punk gang members who seem to have nothing to lose if they attack him or anyone else. So what's next? Well, it won't be good! See the film and find out for yourself.

While I generally liked the film, the ending is ROUGH. I didn't love it though I did understand it....and I can only assume most won't love the ending as well. It's a real downer. Had the ending been a bit less awful, I am sure I could have scored this one an 8 or even 9.

Samuel L. Jackson is not only one of the coolest guys alive, he´s also a great character actor what this film shows very impressively. I don´t know how bad the circumstances at some American schools really are, but I think "187" is much more realistic than liars like "Dangerous Minds". Kevin Reynolds also did a great job as director. In the whole film there are no spectacular things happening, but it is suspense-packed and dramatic from beginning till the end. Also the photography and the score are excellent, because they reflect the depressive and hopeless situation perfectly. The "Deer Hunter"-like showdown and the desperate speech of Rita at the end will keep you sitting on the chair, left deep impressed and considering, while the whole film is already over for a long time. (9/10)

A teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) makes every effort to engage his students at a tough inner-city New York high school when one day he is stabbed in the back by one of the students. After he recovers and although still traumatised he relocates to LA and an equally tough San Fernando high school where not only does he face similar challenges, but must also face up to his demons.

A slightly more fanciful thriller like variation with elements of vigilantism than films that covered similar subjects such as in the better STAND AND DELIVER (1988), MENACE II SOCIETY (1993) and DANGEROUS MINDS (1995). Nevertheless, the film still stands as a commentary on the violence in urban American high schools and for this it does an adequate job. Well acted by Jackson, his performance making the film more believeable.

Samuel L. Jackson is superb in this hard look at the pressure that American Teachers can face. The story begins simply enough, but soon leads us into a jungle of what is right and what is wrong. It encompasses the themes of machismo, gangs, respect and the fallen and tainted profession of teaching. Jackson plays the destroyed Teacher, whose life is torn apart after a serious stabbing by one of his own pupils. It follows his fight to cling on to the only thing he has left in his life, Teaching, but soon that too is torn away from him. Watch for this amazing insight into the state of some American schools and for the complex discussions of right, wrong and what it takes to exact a change.

Kevin Reynolds' 187, although billed as another "straight-laced-teacher-turns-troubled-urban-highschool-teens-into-well-rounded-individuals" movie, goes above and beyond this tired premise. The provocative story (which was apparently written by an actual highschool teacher) breathes new life into the otherwise stale highschool-drama subgenre.

Samuel L. Jackson's performance as Trevor Garfield is fantastic, and his many emotional scenes and powerfully delivered lines of dialogue work well at allowing the audience to sympathize with the disenchanted Garfield and relate to his humdrum life. Also, the characters are much more dynamic and developed here than in most movies of this kind. The student as well as the faculty roles are all given unique personalities, backgrounds, and adequate motivation for their actions, which is a refreshing departure from the typical "the reason they're bad kids is because they grew up in the 'hood"-style characterizations.

Although a few of the supporting performances are somewhat stilted (mainly because they are overshadowed by Jackson's excellence), the highly original story is clever enough keep anyone's interest piqued until the heartrending (although arguably contrived) ending. 187, aside from being smart, touching, and one-of-a-kind, really shows off Reynolds' ability to successfully convert a good, solid screenplay into a good, solid film. And since this movie was made directly after his abominable WATER WORLD, we should all by doubly impressed by his efforts!