A 1997 American crime thriller directed by Kevin Reynolds that has a LA teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) who is caught up with gang problems in a troubled school.
The movie also stars John Heard, Kelly Rowan, Clifton Collins Jr., Tony Plana, Karina Arroyave, Demetrius Navarro, and Jack Kehler.
It was released on July 30, 1997.
Tropes for the Film:
- All for Nothing: During the climax, Garfield attempts to reason Cesar. But It doesn't work. Both die at the end.
- Asshole Victim: Cesar. During the climax, Garfield heavily criticizes Cesar's way of life. The latter replying "It's all that I have !". Garfield calls him a victim.
- Big "NO!" : Cesar, just before Garfield shooting himself.
- The Cameo: The student who stabs Garfield multiple times in the back at the beginning of the movie is played by Method Man.
- Downer Ending: Garfield shoots himself in the head at the Russian Roulette game (followed later by Cesar). Ellen leaves the school. The only bright note is that Rita gets his graduation at the end of the school year.
- Face Death with Dignity: Garfield keeps his eyes open before shooting himself in the head.
- The Hero Dies: Garfield dies by shooting himself in the head. Followed later by Cesar.
- Very Loosely Based on a True Story: The movie is written by a real life teacher, as it is based on his experiences while working at a LA school as a substitute.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: From Garfield, twice.
- Pyrrhic Victory : Literally. the essay that Garfield asked Rita to do. The latter finally exposes her essay at the graduation... after Garfield's death.
- Russian Roulette: The climax features this. Trevor gets into a dangerous feud with Cesar Sanchez. At their final confrontation the gang forces him to play of game of Russian Roulette, referencing the famous The Deer Hunter scene. They're unnerved when Jackson begins taking multiple turns without flinching, even giving them a "The Reason You Suck" Speech as he does. At one point Cesar beings cracking under the weight of the speech and hesitates to pick up the gun when it's his turn, so Trevor volunteers to take the gangster's turn... and promptly blows his head off. Since Trevor took his turn and the bullet that would have killed him, Cesar decides he has to take one more turn now...and promptly blows his head off.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: After graduation and Garfield's death, Ellen leaves the school, totally distraught.
- Tagline: "When schools become war zones and both sides start taking casualties, what then?".
- Title Drop: The title refers to California Penal Code section 187, which defines the crime of murder.
- Too Dumb to Live: Cesar. Despite all the words said by Garfield, he persists in his macho and nefarious ways... just to kill himself.
- Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: David Childress expresses admiration for Trevor Garfield and the vigilante targeting student gangbangers, unaware that they are one and the same and also unaware that Garfield thinks he's scum. When the penny drops - at which point Childress realizes that he's actually not that impressed - Garfield tells him "you probably think we're alike; we're not". Whether Garfield is still a good man is for the viewer to decide, but Childress never was; this is a guy who unashamedly volunteers the fact he had sex with an emotionally vulnerable female student whose sexual advances Garfield explicitly rejected earlier.
