The Principal (1987)

This is one of if not the best of James Belushi's movies. James Belushi and Louis Gossett Jr. make a great duo and JJ Cohen as White Zac is also very well casted (he is nothing like the parts he plays). The movie is your typical run down drunken teacher sent to a run down typical gang infested school to be the principal but what is not typical is how two words "No More!" Echo and it seems to drive the line between those who want to try and those who want to hurt.

This movie is not a typical 80's but is a drama in away and a action flick in a way but it keeps you watching. "The Principal" may be a bit beyond what goes on in inner city or ghetto schools but most movies do that in other situations too. It showed how a principal who is a true leader can enlist others who also care to stand up to bullies and inspire his student body to work towards an education. It also portrayed others whom one might think were troublemakers because of the environment forced on them to be good kids. This is definitely one of Jim Belushi's best performances in his filmography history.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

Fmovies: One of the things I like to ponder is what modern stars would fill the shoes of actors of the past or parts they played. For instance, if they did a remake of Bonanza, John Goodman would fill Dan Blockers shoes pretty well as Hoss, & I think Michael J Fox may be a passable Little Joe. Also of course, Cheryl Ladd did well as Grace Kelly. Some stars have been so one of a kind though that one would be hard pressed to imagine who would be up to the task. John Wayne is one such figure. While James Belushi may not quite have the physical stature of the Duke, his performance in The Principal comes the closest in my impression to reminding me of the "cut the crap" individualism of the screen legend. Public schools could probably learn a lot from this feature.

Of the many comedians of early Saturday Night Live who have gone on to movies, Belushi appears to be the one who has most successfully transcended the comedian stereotype. While Bill Murrey may do well as a comic role being serious, the few pictures I've seen James Belushi in suggest that he's more like a serious actor who's also funny.

Good feature for those of us who are tired of irresponsible youth getting a free pass.

James Belushi stars as a teacher with a short fuse who gets to become the principal of the roughest high school in the city. He turns out to be just what the doctor ordered and just what the students and employees needed. "The Principal" is a very violent film that could be best described as "Lean on Me" or "Stand and Deliver" gone stark-raving mad. Belushi is solid here and so is high school security guard Louis Gossett, Jr. in a supporting role. 4 stars out of 5.

The Principal fmovies. This is a great 80's film - James Belushi and Louis Gossett, Jr. are excellent and you're with them all the way as they're so likeable.

Rick Latimer (Belushi) is great; he starts off as being a kind-of drunken, violent loser (but he's funny so we let him off) and then becomes a reluctant hero who realises why he's a teacher in the first place and makes an effort to SORT THINGS OUT.

This film is full of COOL bits; every scene with Latimer on his motorcycle ("Disneyland!" or 'El Principal'), the scene where the makeshift security team crack down ("...set it off on the left, y'all, set it off on the right..."), the assembly scene ("NO MORE!")...all great. Soundtrack's also TOP (if you like 80's music..!).

Recommended.

"I got my a** kicked for nothin', Ricky!"

I first saw The Principal as a young boy. It made quite an impression on me, and now as an adult, I can't help but revisit it every now and then. Despite having lost some of its shock value over time, the movie has retained its suspense. The style is unmistakably Eighties (I think in an endearing way) and James Belushi's charisma and drama chops carry the story- which occasionally gets silly (also endearingly). The plot is delivered in a compelling way, and evenly divides it focus between character development and the central conflict. By today's standards, the exaggeration and melodrama would probably lead most to dismiss The Principal as stupid. Although I partially appreciate it in the way it was intended, a lot of what makes the movie entertaining is how easily it can be laughed at.

The school teacher Rick Latimer (James Belushi) is drinking with friends in a bar when he sees his former wife dating her lawyer responsible for their divorce. Rick smashes up the car of the lawyer, is arrested and the school board sends him to the notorious Brandel High School as an alternative to be fired. Without any other option, Rick moves and finds a school dominated by gangs with students rejected from other schools. He joins the students and tells no more for that situation. The chief of the security Jake Phillips (Louis Gossett Jr.) believes Rick is crazy but soon he supports the principal attitudes. But the drug lord Victor Duncan (Michael Wright) is not happy with the new principal and promises to kill him.

"The Principal" is that type of movie for fans of films like "To Sir with Love", "Class of 1984" and "Dangerous Minds", where a teacher faces difficulties in a problematic high-school with the students dominated by gangs. James Belushi performs one of his best roles as Rick Latimer, a school teacher that has destroyed all opportunities in life and now has no other option but stay at the notorious Brandel High School. Louis Gossett Jr. is also excellent as the chief of the security guards in the dangerous high-school. The plot might be unrealistic in the present violent days but in the 80´s it would be credible. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Um Diretor Contra Todos" ("A Principal against Everybody")