Stand And Deliver Blu-ray Review
“Stand And Deliver” is an uplifting movie.
Based on a true story, 1988’s “Stand And Deliver” centers around Jaime Escalante- a would be computer science teacher who arrives at his new job at James A. Garfield High School in East L.A. only to discover the school does not have any computers. Instead, Mr. Escalante becomes a Math 1A teacher for a group of Latino students. Wanting to change the culture at school, improve test scores, and show that his students are capable of achieving more (and learning advanced math subjects), Mr. Escalante goes about prepping his students to take the AP Calculus exam. When all 18 of his students pass the exam, however, the Educational Testing Service begins to question if the students cheated. Now, the students are forced to retake the exam with short notice.
Directed by Ramón Menéndez (who also co-wrote the script with Tom Musca), “Stand And Deliver” still stands tall as one of the most celebrated high school dramas and Latino culture films. It’s an inspiring story about the importance of education and how a teacher can change student’s lives by pushing them to live up to their potential and possibly give them more opportunities in the future. Sure, some facts from the true story were changed for dramatic purposes (as tends to be the case with many true story based films), but that doesn’t diminish the power of the story. This is the type of positive biodrama the world needs more of as Jaime Escalante is a real hero.
‘Stand’ also does a commendable job in showcasing the complicated lives of the teenagers at the school by focusing on characters like Angel, Lupe, and so forth. Although the story is primarily focused on Mr. Escalante, we get to see the home lives, the troubles they face, the family pressures, and the school lives of the group of students taking Escalante’s class. It gives the film an added authenticity and shows just how much school and an education means to them and their future.
“Stand And Deliver” likely wouldn’t be the film it was without star Edward James Olmos (who received an Oscar nomination for his work). The ever underrated actor (see “Battlestar Galactica” if you haven’t) delivers a heartfelt and captivating performance. He owns the screen every time he is on it. The supporting cast features memorable performances from Lou Diamond Phillips (as Angel- a gang member who is secretly interested in education), Andy Garcia (Ramirez- a testing service investigator), and Ingrid Oliu (as the student Lupe).
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? Presented in its original aspect ratio with a new 4K scan, Warner Archive once again delivers a quality upgrade.
Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? While it’s not going to wow anyone, it’s satisfactory.
The lone extra is the original theatrical trailer.
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