The Substitute

Here's one of those immensely satisfying albeit somewhat unlikely flicks in which the scumbags really get their just deserts. Think Dangerous Minds crossed with Death Wish and you'll have a pretty good gist of things here.

The ever excellent Tom Berenger stars as a tough as nails mercenary who seeks retribution after his teacher girlfriend is viciously assaulted on the orders of a high school gang calling themselves the Kings Of Destruction. And what better way for our hero to get up close and personal with his quarry than to take the now vacant teaching position his girl friend has left at school and to pose as a substitute. In this assumed role our man quickly weeds out the problem students with some no nonsense discipline which will be sure to raise a smile on most viewers faces. Matters turn out to be a bit more complex however when it is revealed that the school principle is not quite such a genial chap as he at first appears.....in fact far from it as he is orchestrating the gang within his school and trafficking drugs via them. Subsequently our hero enlists the aid of his mercenary buddies to lend a hand and all merry hell subsequently breaks out including in one hilarious scene, one of our boys firing off a rocket launcher down a school corridor(!!!!!) Yes, whilst realism this may be woefully lacking, in fun it more than makes up for!

Go on, treat yourself to this wonderful slice of carefree and highly satisfying escapism - you know you want to.

On a Friday, some weeks ago: the so-called television highlight for this evening was the "The Substitute", a film that got nothing but bad reviews by the TV guides. Nevertheless I decided to watch this flick - and after all it was really better than I had expected, because this movie contains enough action and suspense to keep you awake! The story is quite far-fetched but interesting in any case and actors like Tom Berenger, Diane Venora or Ernie Hudson do a solid job. Not as demanding as the brilliant "One Eight Seven" starring Samuel L. Jackson but definitely good entertainment!

6/10

Maybe, maybe not. But as far as the action flick genre is concerned this might just rank up there as at least one of the best. Sorry FT. Berenger gives the performance of his life here as a mercenary who goes undercover as a teacher at a school run by drug dealing thugs. Additional kudos go to Ernie Hudson who gives a riveting performance as the high school principal on the brink. Even J Lo's present squeeze Marc Anthony gets into the act as the surly gang leading nemisis to Berenger's good guy portrayal. Director Robert Mandel of School Ties fame does a phenomenal job tying up all the loose ends presented throughout Roy Frumkes and Rocco Simonelli's brilliant screenplay and treating the viewer to a climax that is both intensely shocking as well as entertaining. The beach scene where Berenger's girlfriend played by the lovely Diane Verona a perfect example of why this movie is a real standout. Verona is first seen jogging along the beach while the viewer is treated to the soundtrack's Mongo Jerry's "In the Summertime". Then out of the blue, in broad daylight, in front of dozen's of onlookers, a thug runs up and whacks her knee with a lead pipe ala Nancy Kerigan's Olympic ordeal. Tom Berenger then comes (out of the blue) to her aid and carries her off to the hospital. My only complaint was that were not more scenes in the movie like this one.

"The Substitute" is not high art. Ebert reviewed it as a serious film and gave it a very negative review. But as a B-movie where the teachers get revenge, the bad guy dope-peddling punks and principal get their due, it is a virtual "The Patriot" for the high school system. You can't help but smile and root and rejoice when punk after punk gets thrown out the upper floor window by Beringer while the principal relaxes in his office, assuming the punks will prevail.

Beringer plays a mercenary who becomes the substitute when the real teacher is injured by the punks. With his background in covert operations, and his support network, the punks are no match for him. I've seen it several times on network TV, its one of those films I just can't stop watching. Roy Frumkes, who wrote each of the "Substitute" movies wasn't trying to create a classic, just fun entertainment. In a personal communication he said, " Not only did that film surprise everyone by doing as well as it did, but when it came time for the three sequels, my contract was worded so that they couldn't get rid of me!" Thus providing his retirement fund. Hey! Some people win the lottery. His was a different kind of lottery.

I like "The Substitute" a lot. I think Roy Frumkes is a classy guy. It is destined to be one of those cult films that lasts much longer than logic says it should.

Edit AUG 2023: Watching it yet again after 21 years it occurs to me it also hits hard on two issues - fighting drug trafficking and encouraging students to pursue a good education instead of becoming a member of a gang.

After a failed mission in Cuba with three casualties, the mercenary Jonathan Shale (Tom Berenger) and his team composed by Joey Six (Raymond Cruz), Rem (Luis Guzmán), Wellman (Richard Brooks) and Hollan (William Forsythe) return to Miami. Meanwhile, the history teacher at the Columbus High School Jane Hetzko (Diane Venora) is threatened by the gangster Juan Lacas (Marc Anthony), who is the leader of the dangerous street gang Kings of Destruction. She reports the menace with her colleague Darrell Sherman (Glenn Plummer) to the Principal Claude Rolle (Ernie Hudson), but he does not take any attitude. When the scared Jane returns home, she meets he boyfriend Shale that was visiting her and they spend the night together. On the next morning, Shale has a meeting with the rogue lawyer Matt Wolfson (Cliff De Young) that offers a job to protect a shipment of drugs but Shale declines the offer. When he returns to Jane's apartment, he learns that she is jogging at the beach. He walks to meet her and save Jane from the attack of the strong punk Bull (Jim Warne) that breaks her kneecap and flees. She asks him to invite a substitute to replace her and Shale adopts the alias James Smith to replace Jane. Soon he learns that Lacas and Rolle are associated to the drug lord Johnny Glades (Rodney A. Grant) and using the school to store and distribute the drug in Miami. Shale summons his crew and decide to clean the school and eliminate the gangsters.

"The Substitute" is one of those action movies in the style of "Rambo" or "Death Wish" franchises that are brainless but in the same time highly attractive. The cast has Tom Berenger still in good shape in the role of the hero and many great villains. The story uses the violence of "Class of 1984", with a gang of delinquents threatening the teachers. For fans of this type of film, "The Substitute" does not disappoint. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Substituto" ("The Substitute")