Lean on Me (Blu-ray Review)
- Review Date: Aug 19, 2025
- Format: Blu-ray Disc
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Director
John G. AvildsenRelease Date(s)
1989 (May 27, 2025)Studio(s)
Norman Twain Productions/Warner Bros. (Warner Archive Collection)- Film/Program Grade: B
- Video Grade: A
- Audio Grade: A
- Extras Grade: D-
Review
Lean on Me, based on true events, tells how a principal using unorthodox means turns a failing, chaotic high school around while having to juggle politics, parental complaints, drug dealers, truancy, and poor staff morale.
Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey is one of the worst schools in the state based on academic scores and the students’ lawlessness. Hallways are dangerous for teachers as well as students, dealers sell drugs openly, and fights break out often, some of them involving knives or guns. The school has devolved into a terrifying environment and learning has ground to a standstill.
If test scores don’t improve, the state will take over the school and Mayor Bottman (Alex North) likely will lose his bid for re-election. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Napier (Robert Guillaume) seeks out his long-time colleague Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman) to become Eastside’s principal, whip the school into shape, and get the scores up. He has one year to accomplish these goals.
Clark’s approach is hardly subtle. His first order of business is to expel 300 students known to be drug dealers, thieves, or troublemakers. He believes that with a safer, more orderly environment, students will be able to learn. Next, Clark orders the graffitied hallways and classrooms to be cleaned. But while taking these promising steps, Clark also mistreats the staff and the students, firing teachers with little cause and publicly embarrassing misbehaving students.
Everyone is appalled by Clark’s unorthodox methods and his unilateral decision making. Students are resisting, parents are objecting, and a politically influential school board member (Lynn Thigpen) is threatening the mayor with organized opposition unless he ousts Clark. Eventually, however, with unwavering persistence and some help to recognize where his behavior is backfiring, Clark’s methods yield results and he comes to be appreciated by the whole community.
Lean on Me is a feel-good movie in that it paints Clark as a savior, albeit a rough-tough one. Where others have failed to make a difference, Clark barrels in and runs the school his way. He dictates orders, expects instant results, and regularly intimidates hard-working teachers. Is he helping or is he making matters worse with his controversial methodology?
As Freeman’s Joe Clark strides the hallways, dressed impeccably in a business suit and polished shoes, he embodies order in a world of chaos. Clark is a tyrant, only late in the film softening as he greets teachers and students by name, with a friendly fist bump. His expression is often cold, bordering on anger when he’s frustrated with specific situations. Filmed often from a low angle, Freeman is shown looking down on students, teachers, and even politicians, giving him a sense of authority. A few scenes show a compassionate side to Clark and Freeman handles them well as he listens to students’ problems and moves to alleviate them.
Robert Guillaume is excellent as Superintendent Napier, Clark’s friend and boss. In a dramatic scene between them, Napier tries to reason with Clark about his methods. When Clark rebuffs his complaints and advice, Napier loses his temper and reveals his frustrations. And the man responsible for getting Clark hired, his reputation and possibly his job are on the line. Guillaume’s delivery progresses from friendly to forceful to explosive as Napier tries to persuade Clark to modify his ham-handed approach.
Lynne Thigpen is very good as the fiercely confrontational Mrs. Barrett, a mother and community activist who knows something about using quid pro quo to get what she wants. Michael Beach plays the often put-upon Mr. Darnell, a teacher who seems to be a particular target of Clark’s abuse. Robin Bartlett has a good scene as Mrs. Elliott, a teacher who dares to speak her mind to Clark when she will no longer tolerate his bullying. Sandra Reaves-Phillips plays Mrs. Powers, a music teacher who enlivens the tired old school song with a catchy arrangement and blows the roof off with her gospel rendition of the title song. Beverly Todd portrays Assistant Principal Ms. Levias, who summons the courage to confront Clark about his methods and reminds him that the staff and students want what he does but feel alienated by his “my way or the highway” approach to administration.
Lean on Me paints a much rosier picture of Joe Clark and Eastside High School than the facts bear out. While he was principal, math and reading scores rose somewhat, but not dramatically. In 1986, he ordered all doors chained to keep out drug dealers but the fire department deemed it a safety and fire hazard and forced him to have the chains removed. After his tenure as principal ended in 1989, Clark became a motivational speaker and later was appointed director of a juvenile detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. Eastside High was taken over by the state in 1991.
Lean on Me was shot by director of photography Victor Hammer on 35mm film with Panavision Panaflex cameras and spherical lenses by Panavision, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The transfer of Lean on Me included on the Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection was sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. In keeping with Warner’s high-quality transfers of older films, Lean on Me looks great. The graffitied halls of Eastside High reflect a serious slipping of the school’s standards. Most of the scenes are interiors and feature typical school fluorescent lighting. Details, such as patterns on Clark’s ties, posters on walls, and items on Clark’s crowded desk are well delineated. Complexions are well rendered.
The soundtrack is English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio. English SDH subtitles are an available option. Dialogue is clear and distinct. Crowd mayhem in the early scenes illustrate the lack of order and anarchy that’s taken over. Bill Conti’s score never achieves the rousing quality of his famous Rocky theme, though it does add excitement to scenes of Eastside students rallying for Clark outside Paterson City Hall.
There’s only one bonus extra on the Blu-ray release from Warner Archive:
Theatrical Trailer (1:28)
Director John G. Avildsen (Rocky, The Karate Kid) portrays Clark as a misunderstood and underappreciated administrator who advocated for his mostly Black students through tough love and unfettered power. Strong leaders are attractive to filmgoers because their positive aspects can be highlighted and their negative ones either downplayed or avoided entirely. Lean on Me is well made and Freeman easily dominates the picture, portraying Clark as a larger-than-life folk hero.
- Dennis Seuling