STAND AND DELIVER Does Exactly That
Movies based on true life events occasionally can falter by falling into pitfalls of cheap sentimentality or cloying cliches. STAND AND DELIVER truly benefits from a remarkable story of a Hispanic teacher in LA trying to desperately involve his class by taking part in an advanced placement calculus testing. Edward J. Olmos gives an oddly endearing performance as the gutsy prof and Lou Diamond Phillips is quite believable as the wannabe gangster turned mathematician. One thing that is impossible to get away from is the annoying 80s synthesized soundtrack, but the plot turns in the story are convincing and well played for maximum spirit uplift.