Aside from our parents, we spent most of our early childhood with our teachers. They came in a wide spectrum of flavours, ranging from sweet and caring, who’d help nudge you in the right direction, to terrors whose stare was enough to leave Medusa petrified. But good teachers are more than just educators – they are friends, family, parents, and even heroes.
With Teachers’ Day just around the corner (16th May), we thought we’d recommend six flicks for you to watch on the special occasion. Learn it, and learn it well!
School of Rock (2003)
Easily the most iconic musical film of the early 2000s, “School of Rock” is a beloved movie that perhaps became the gateway to the world of music for most who watched it. The story follows Dewey Finn (played by Jack Black), a down-on-his-luck rock star who is knee-deep in debt. After he is kicked out from his band, he impersonates his roommate and becomes a substitute teacher, but instead of teaching his students basic mathematics, he shows them how to love music and themselves.
Though Dewey enters the school through deception and is not a licensed teacher, he becomes an exceptional teacher in his own right by carefully paying attention to the students’ talents, interests, and insecurities. What sets Dewey apart compared to the conventional teachers in the film or even in real life is the fact that he goes on to nurture the students’ talents to reach their full potential, letting them be themselves instead of fitting them into a mould that might have destroyed their personalities in the future.
Dangerous Minds (1995)
“Dangerous Minds” is not the first film that comes to mind when people think of teacher-related films, but what sets it apart is that it’s based on an autobiography written by real-life retired US Marine LouAnne Johnson in 1989. The film depicts her efforts to connect with her marginalised students in the hope of leading them to a better life and breaking the cycle of crime that they are accustomed to.
Though the film received negative reviews from critics due to it being “insensitive” and “rife with stereotypes,” a vast majority of laypeople who watched the film genuinely enjoyed it as it’s still “a respectable piece of work” that depicts a teacher who goes the extra mile to connect with her students amidst an indifferent school system. It’s an impressive example of tough love that simultaneously tackles serious problems such as gang violence and street crime, which are often common occurrences for marginalised people.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
We all know the late Robin Williams for his unforgettable stand-up and comedic film performances, but did you know that he also starred in serious roles as well? A prime example of this would be his performance in “Dead Poets Society,” where he plays John Keating, a new and eccentric English teacher known for his unorthodox teaching methods.
This coming-of-age drama/comedy offers a new perspective on how you should view life. It’s a gripping film showcasing a bond between a teacher and his students, and demonstrating how a teacher can also be, at times, a parent. It also offers some valuable life lessons, often in the form of questions such as choosing between conformity and individuality, identity and submission to authority, and even asking us to question the status quo. Above all else, the film invites us to seize the day, every day!
Critical Thinking (2020)
One of the newer entries on this list, and much like the aforementioned Dangerous Minds, “Critical Thinking” is another film based on real life. It follows the story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team, the first inner-city team to win the U.S. National Chess Championship. It explores the lives of its student team members, most of whom have their own personal struggles, ranging from extreme poverty to selling illegal substances.
This biographical drama mainly focuses on students and their relation to their parents, and when their biological relatives ostracise or even abandon them, their teacher and classmates take them in and push them to become the best version of themselves. It’s an honest and inspiring underdog story that will make you stand up and cheer.
Coach Carter (2005)
We leave behind the world of chess for the world of basketball, in “Coach Carter,” another biographical sports drama. Coach Carter follows the title character, a strict coach who prioritises his students’ academics over their talents and skills in basketball. He enforces strict laws and rules to humble and humanise once-rowdy and disrespectful basketball players. This culminates in an edge-of-your-seat finale that showcases how far the characters have come together, not just as a team, but as individuals.
Though it’s a rather simple film, it actually works, as it tackles more niche problems. Everyone can use a Coach Carter in their lives – someone who is dependable, empathetic, and devoted to seeing them excel in all facets of life, not just playing ball. It also deals with several heavy subject matters, such as abortions and teen parents. It’s an uplifting film that ends by showcasing several key players who earned scholarships thanks to Carter’s strategy.
Half Nelson (2006)
We’ve talked about students who need help from their teachers on personal or academic matters. But what if it’s the teacher who needs help, and the students come in to lend their aid? That is the core idea behind Ryan Gosling’s most underrated film, “Half Nelson.” The film follows Dan Dunne, a well-liked history teacher and girls’ basketball coach on the outside, but a struggling drug addict on the inside who was even caught using illegal substance by one his students in the girls’ locker room. Despite this, they form an incredible bond and become each other’s support system.
The film is a gut-wrenching exploration of two incredible people and how they navigate through the difficulties of life and how, despite it all, they are still friends in the end. It’s a mature film that explores human weakness and the desire to do good. It also takes the idea of role models found in any teacher-student story and twists it on its own head.
