Lean on Me ( film ) - wikipedia Lean on Me ( film ) Lean on Me Theatrical release poster Directed by John G. Avildsen Produced by Norman Twain Written by Michael Schiffer Starring Morgan Freeman Beverly Todd Robert Guillaume Music by Bill Conti Cinematography Victor Hammer Edited by John G. Avildsen John Carter Distributed by Warner Bros. Release date March 3, 1989 Running time 124 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $10 million Box office $31 million Lean on Me is a 1989 American dramatized biographical film written by Michael Schiffer, directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Morgan Freeman. Lean on Me is loosely based on the story of Joe Louis Clark, a real life inner city high school principal in Paterson, New Jersey, whose school is at risk of being taken over by the New Jersey state government unless students improve their test scores on the New Jersey Minimum Basic Skills Test. This film 's title refers to the 1972 Bill Withers song of the same name. Parts of the film, including the elementary school scenes, were filmed in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Music 4 Reception 5 Awards and honors 6 References 7 External links Plot By 1987, the once successful Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey, has deteriorated due to drugs and crime. The majority of students can not pass basic skills testing, and even the teachers are not safe from gang violence. Mayor Bottman ( Alan North ) learns that the school will be turned over to state administration unless 75 % of the students can pass the minimum basic skills test. He consults with school superintendent Dr. Frank Napier ( Robert Guillaume ), who suggests the school hire elementary school principal Joe Clark, aka `` Crazy Joe '' ( Morgan Freeman ), a former teacher at Eastside High, as the new principal. Reluctantly, the mayor hires Clark. Clark 's immediate radical changes include expelling 300 students identified as drug dealers or abusers and troublemakers, instituting programs to improve school spirit including painting over graffiti - covered walls, and requiring students to learn the school song, and be punished if they can not sing it on demand. When one of the expelled students is found beating up another student, Clark orders the doors of the school chained shut during school hours since alarmed security doors can not be purchased. Some parents react strongly to these measures, including Leonna Barrett ( Lynne Thigpen ), mother of one of the expelled students, who presses the mayor to oust Clark. Clark 's radicalism causes him to come into conflict with members of the faculty, particularly English teacher Mr. Darnell, whom Clark suspends for picking up a piece of trash during a recital of the school song, and choir teacher Mrs. Elliot, whom Clark fires for being insubordinate after he cancels a pre-planned choral event, the school 's upcoming annual Lincoln Center concert. Napier sets Clark straight over these incidents and lectures him to start being a team player. Clark reinstates Mr. Darnell, though he is too late to re-hire Mrs. Elliot. His actions begin to have a positive effect on his students. Thomas Sams, a student expelled for crack use, pleads to be allowed to return to school and gradually reforms. Clark also reunites one of his old elementary students, Kaneesha Carter, with her estranged mother. Unfortunately, a practice basic skills test fails to garner enough passing students. Clark confronts his staff for their failure to educate their students and to prepare them for the world. He institutes a tutorial program to strengthen academic skills and encourages remedial reading courses on Saturdays which parents may attend alongside their children. When the minimum basic skills test is finally assessed, the students are much better prepared and filled with a sense of self - worth. Before the results can arrive, the fire chief raids the school and discovers the chained doors. Clark is arrested for violating fire safety codes. That evening, the students gather at the meeting of the Paterson Board of Education, where school board member Ms. Barrett, is leading for Clark 's removal. The students demand that Clark be released from jail and retained as principal. The mayor has Clark released from jail and talk to the students to go home. Clark calls for his students to return to their homes. He is interrupted by assistant principal Ms. Levias who reports that more than 75 % of the students have passed the basic skills test. He announces the results over his megaphone. As a result, the school 's current administration remains intact, and Clark is allowed to keep his job as principal of Eastside High. The students break into their school song in celebration. The film ends with the senior students graduating high school and Clark handing them their diplomas. Cast Morgan Freeman -- as Joe Louis Clark Beverly Todd -- Mrs. Joan Levias Alan North -- as Mayor Don Bottman ( based on Frank X. Graves, Jr. ) Robert Guillaume -- as Dr. Frank Napier Ethan Phillips -- as Mr. Rosenberg Lynne Thigpen -- Leonna Barrett Robin Bartlett - Mrs. Elliott Michael Beach -- Mr. Larry Darnell Sandra Reaves - Phillips -- Mrs. Powers Tony Todd -- William Wright, Dean of Security Sloane Shelton -- Mrs. Hamilton Jermaine ' Huggy ' Hopkins -- Thomas Sams Karen Malina White -- Kaneesha Carter Karina Arroyave -- Maria Alex Romaguera - Kid Ray Jose R. Severino - John Jones Michael P. Moran - Mr. Ed O'Malley Ivonne Coll -- Mrs. Santos Regina Taylor -- Mrs. Carter Jim Moody -- Mr. Lott Linda M. Salgado -- Linda Mike Starr -- Mr. Zarella Reverend Herschell Slappy -- Himself Cole Dragone - Boss Michael Imperioli - George David Nelson - Real Student Anthony Avildsen ( the director 's real - life son ) as Clark 's student in prologue Michael Best - Songbird Kenneth Kelly - Songbird Dwayne Jones - Songbird Anthony Fuller - Songbird Steven Capers Jr. - Songbird Music Songs included in the film include : Eastside High School Alma Mater, written by Catherine Peragallo Miller Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N ' Roses I Ai n't Makin ' It by Daddy - O and DBC Lean on Me by Thelma Houston Lean on Me by Club Nouveau Reception On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 69 %, based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8 / 10. On CinemaScore, audiences gave the film a rare grade of `` A + '' on an A+ to F scale. Awards and honors 1991 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Motion Picture -- Morgan Freeman ( won ) Outstanding Motion Picture ( won ) 1990 Young Artist Awards Young Artist Award Best Motion Picture -- Drama ( nominated ) Best Young Actor Supporting Role in a Motion Picture -- Jermaine ' Huggy ' Hopkins ( nominated ) Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Motion Picture -- Karen Malina White ( nominated ) Jackie Coogan Award -- Norman Twain, producer ( nominated ) Other honors The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists : 2003 : AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Heroes & Villains : `` Crazy '' Joe Clark -- Nominated Hero 2004 : AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Songs : `` Lean on Me '' -- Nominated 2006 : AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Cheers -- Nominated References Jump up ^ Lentz, Philip ( 26 March 1989 ). `` Joe Clark ` s Fame Marred By Squabbling, Less - supportive Figures ''. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 26 May 2016... Mayor Frank X. Graves, who, unlike the mayor portrayed in the movie... Jump up ^ `` Lean on Me ''. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 9, 2015. Jump up ^ `` AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Heroes & Villains Nominees '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 2016 - 08 - 14. Jump up ^ `` AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Songs Nominees '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 2016 - 08 - 14. Jump up ^ `` AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Cheers Nominees '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 2016 - 08 - 14. External links New Jersey portal 1980s portal Film portal Wikiquote has quotations related to : Lean on Me Lean on Me on IMDb Lean on Me at the TCM Movie Database Lean on Me at AllMovie Lean on Me at Rotten Tomatoes Lean on Me at Box Office Mojo Paterson, New Jersey Neighborhoods Downtown Paterson Dublin Little Italy Little Lima Eastside Eastside Park Great Falls / Society for the Establishment of Useful Manufactures Historic District Hillcrest Lakeview Northside Old Great Falls Historic District People 's Park Sandy Hill South Paterson Stoney Road Totowa section Wrigley Park Government Paterson Fire Department Mayor Schools Paterson Public Schools Eastside High School International High School John F. Kennedy High School Rosa L. Parks School of Fine and Performing Arts Paterson Catholic High School ( closed ) Other education Danforth Memorial Library Passaic County Community College Main Campus Landmarks Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Center City Mall Garret Mountain Reservation Lambert Castle Great Falls ( Passaic River ) Passaic County Court House Paterson Armory Paterson City Hall Paterson Museum Public School Number Two St. Joseph 's Regional Medical Center St. Michael 's Roman Catholic Church Barnert Hospital ( closed ) History 1835 Paterson textile strike 1913 Paterson silk strike Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works Society for the Establishment of Useful Manufactures Culture Paterson ( poem ) Lean on Me ( film ) Paterson ( film ) Transportation Broadway Bus Terminal Bridges Paterson NJT station Spanish Transportation This list is incomplete. Films directed by John G. Avildsen Turn on to Love ( 1969 ) Guess What We Learned in School Today ? ( 1970 ) Joe ( 1970 ) Cry Uncle ! ( 1971 ) Okay Bill ( 1972 ) Save the Tiger ( 1973 ) The Stoolie ( 1974 ) Fore Play ( 1975 ) W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings ( 1975 ) Rocky ( 1976 ) Slow Dancing in the Big City ( 1978 ) The Formula ( 1980 ) Neighbors ( 1981 ) Traveling Hopefully ( 1982 ) A Night in Heaven ( 1983 ) The Karate Kid ( 1984 ) The Karate Kid Part II ( 1986 ) Happy New Year ( 1987 ) For Keeps ( 1988 ) Lean on Me ( 1989 ) The Karate Kid Part III ( 1989 ) Rocky V ( 1990 ) The Power of One ( 1992 ) 8 Seconds ( 1994 ) Inferno ( 1999 ) NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture 1972 -- 2000 Lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) Let 's Do It Again ( 1976 ) The Greatest ( 1978 ) Fame ( 1980 ) Bustin ' Loose ( 1981 ) An Officer and a Gentleman ( 1982 ) A Soldier 's Story ( 1985 ) The Color Purple ( 1986 ) Lethal Weapon ( 1987 ) Coming to America ( 1988 ) Lean on Me ( 1989 ) Glory ( 1990 ) Boyz n the Hood ( 1992 ) Sister Act ( 1993 ) Malcolm X ( 1994 ) Waiting to Exhale ( 1996 ) A Time to Kill ( 1997 ) Soul Food ( 1998 ) How Stella Got Her Groove Back ( 1999 ) The Best Man ( 2000 ) 2001 -- present Remember the Titans ( 2001 ) Ali ( 2002 ) Antwone Fisher ( 2003 ) The Fighting Temptations ( 2004 ) Ray ( 2005 ) Crash ( 2006 ) The Pursuit of Happyness ( 2007 ) The Great Debaters ( 2008 ) The Secret Life of Bees ( 2009 ) Precious ( 2010 ) For Colored Girls ( 2011 ) The Help ( 2012 ) Red Tails ( 2013 ) 12 Years a Slave ( 2014 ) Selma ( 2015 ) Straight Outta Compton ( 2016 ) Hidden Figures ( 2017 ) Girls Trip ( 2018 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lean_on_Me_(film)&oldid=829168513 '' Categories : English - language films 1989 films American films American biographical films American coming - of - age films 1980s drama films American drama films Warner Bros. films American high school films Films about school violence Films about race and ethnicity African - American films Films scored by Bill Conti Films set in New Jersey Films based on actual events Films directed by John G. Avildsen Films about educators Paterson, New Jersey Films shot in New Jersey Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Català Čeština Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano Nederlands Polski Português Suomi 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 7 March 2018, at 01 : 40. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who stars in the movie lean on me
Answer: Morgan Freeman