Review of High School High (1996) by Stuart K — 16 Jan 2012
Co-written and produced by David Zucker, who was looking for something else to spoof after The Naked Gun films were over with, he looked to the cinematic sub-genre of inspirational teachers films, like Stand and Deliver (1986) and Dangerous Minds (1995).
Some gags work, some don't. This has successful teacher Richard Clark (Jon Lovitz) who works for the successful and prestigious Wellington Academy being given an offer to work for Marion Barry High School.
It seems like the chance of a life time, but Richard's father Thaddeus Clark (John Neville) isn't happy about Richard's choice. It turns out to be a school in the ghetto of South Central Los Angeles, in the slums with multi-racial pupils, mostly black, it has metal detectors at the door and violence in the corridors, but Richard soon settles in and tries to get the best out of the students there.
He tries to woo fellow teacher Victoria Chapell (Tia Carrere), who see's the good in Richard and what he's trying to do for the students, but Richard is at loggerheads with Principal Evelyn Doyle (Louise Fletcher), who believes in violent dicipline.
It does have some good gags, but nothing really memorable, although Lovitz does make a likeable, funny lead. But it is a premonition of things to come with the Scary Movie films and all that...
This review of High School High (1996) was written by Stuart K on 16 Jan 2012.
High School High has generally received mixed reviews.
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