Rotten Tomatoes Logo Do you want to see ‘Dangerous Minds’?

Dangerous Minds (1995)

tomatometer

38

Average Rating: 4.8/10
Critic Reviews: 13
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 8

No consensus yet.

audience

66

liked it
Average Rating: 3.1/5
User Ratings: 96,433

My Rating

Movie Info

In this drama, a school teacher discovers that it takes more than the ABCs to get through to a class of "uneducatable" kids. When Lou Anne Johnson (Michelle Pfeiffer), a nine-year veteran of the Marine Corps with a degree in education, begins a new job at an inner-city school in California, the principal (George Dzundza) warns her that her class will be the "rejects from Hell" -- kids with severe social problems and no interest in education. While at first her African-American and Latino

R, 1 hr. 39 min.

Drama

Ron Bass

Jul 13, 1999

Cast

All Critics (41) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (11) | Rotten (27) | DVD (3)

Pfeiffer gives a funny, scrappy performance that makes you feel a committed teacher's fire to make a difference.

May 12, 2001 Comment
Rolling Stone
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The tale screenwriter Ronald Bass came up with, and the way director John N. Smith tells it, is stereotypical, predictable and simplified to the point of meaninglessness.

February 13, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | Comment
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The movie pretends to show poor black kids being bribed into literacy by Dylan and candy bars, but actually it is the crossover white audience that is being bribed with mind-candy in the form of safe words by the two Dylans.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Stay home and watch Welcome Back Kotter. It's more enlightening.

January 1, 2000 Comment
Film.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A no-frills, single-minded drama driven by Pfeiffer's totally committed performance.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | Comment
Sacramento Bee
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Pfieffer is absurdly miscast: Sly Stallone would make a more plausible Mr. Chips than the frail, squeaky actress does a nine-year veteran of the Marine Corps.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

None of it rings the slightest bit true; all of it insults the intelligence.

December 26, 2006 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | Comment
TheMovieReport.com

So whitebread I want to call everyone involved 'Urkle'.

March 8, 2004 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comment (1)
Oz
eFilmCritic.com

Horrible. A waste. How was this ever a hit?

June 11, 2003 Comment (1)
Juicy Cerebellum
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Dangerous Minds

I like movies like these, although its not as good as films like freedom writers, it is an entertaining enough movie. Its not the most inspirational drama that gives you the wow factor at the end of the movie but it is funny and keeps you interested. I absolutely love the soundtrack to this movie its amazing.

October 28, 2007
FiLmCrAzY
Film Crazy

Super Reviewer

Stereotypical, predictable and unrealistic.

May 15, 2007
wildaly14

Super Reviewer

Dangerous Minds Quotes

No quotes approved yet for Dangerous Minds. Logged in users can submit quotes.

Latest News for Dangerous Minds

January 4, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: New Year Brings New Crop of Pics
Three new releases welcome in the new year this weekend, but moviegoers are likely to keep spending...

April 6, 2006:
Critical Consensus: Take Or Leave This "Lead,: An Odd "Number," "Benchwarmers"
This week at the movies, we explore the joys of dance ("Take the Lead"), mistaken identity...

What's Hot On RT

Critics Consensus
Critics Consensus

Journey 2 Not Worth the Trip

Luis Guzman
Luis Guzman

What are his 10 best movies ever?

<em>Amazing Spider-Man</em>
Amazing Spider-Man

See the all-new action-packed trailer!

The Avengers!
The Avengers!

Five new Marvelous pictures

Top Movie Quizzes

LEGO Mania: 2011 Best Picture Nominees
by natalie - 18,564 taken
created 12 months ago
How Much Do You Know About Leonardo DiCaprio?
by natalie - 44,423 taken
created 15 months ago
Pixar Movies!
by jdikwlzviv - 27,149 taken
created 15 months ago
The Wizards of Harry Potter
by jdikwlzviv - 27,649 taken
created 15 months ago
Help | About | Jobs | Newsletter | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Blog | Developers | Mobile