Killing Mr. Griffin

Rating:
Summary: Not Bad
Review: This movie wasn't the best I've ever seen, but it beats Teaching Mrs. Tingle hands down.

Rating:
Summary: UNEXPECTED SURPRISE
Review: This NBC-TV movie surprised me. Writers Kathleen Rowell and Michael Angeli are very adept in creating both scenes and dialogue that seems realistic: the mousy girl who wants to be popular; the teens who find themselves Svengalied by a handsome rich boy; how a boy interferes in the relationship between two blossoming young women. And some really credible performances, mainly from Amy Jo Johnson, Scott Bairstow, and Mario Lopez.
Jay Thomas Mr. Griffin is a difficult character to empathize with, but in view of what teachers have to put up with in school, one can understand his cynicism. However, one cant' excuse his cruely in humiliating students in front of their classmates. He is also an extremist. But...he doesn't deserve what happens to him.
Bairstow as Mark gives us a teen of arrogant self-delusion; a narcisstic liar; and an obviously psychotic personality. Johnson and Michelle Williams are great in showing the special bond between two good friends.
There's not a lot of action in the movie, but it really doesn't need it; the key here is what happens when people's lives aren't important to the callow youths who can't accept the responsibility of their acts.
A sharp, tidy thriller.

Rating:
Summary: UNEXPECTED SURPRISE
Review: This NBC-TV movie surprised me. Writers Kathleen Rowell and Michael Angeli are very adept in creating both scenes and dialogue that seems realistic: the mousy girl who wants to be popular; the teens who find themselves Svengalied by a handsome rich boy; how a boy interferes in the relationship between two blossoming young women. And some really credible performances, mainly from Amy Jo Johnson, Scott Bairstow, and Mario Lopez.
Jay Thomas Mr. Griffin is a difficult character to empathize with, but in view of what teachers have to put up with in school, one can understand his cynicism. However, one cant' excuse his cruely in humiliating students in front of their classmates. He is also an extremist. But...he doesn't deserve what happens to him.
Bairstow as Mark gives us a teen of arrogant self-delusion; a narcisstic liar; and an obviously psychotic personality. Johnson and Michelle Williams are great in showing the special bond between two good friends.
There's not a lot of action in the movie, but it really doesn't need it; the key here is what happens when people's lives aren't important to the callow youths who can't accept the responsibility of their acts.
A sharp, tidy thriller.

Rating:
Summary: Good Film For Mario Lopez Fans.
Review: This teacher (played by Jay Thomas) at first seems to be a teacher that deserves respect, however as the movie progresses we can see that just teaching students not to be tardy six times (because thae want to be late on purpose to be kissy-kissy with the girlfriend of he week) or not to forget their books isn't the only thing that bugs the man. He truly is not a man of heart and is sarcastic with the students even his own wife. Some students plot to kidnap Mr. Griffin and give him a dose of his own medicine. They do. They tie him up. What they do not know was he has pills he must take. Later that night, Mario Lopez and this girl have a change of heart and they go back to the site where Mr. Griffin was left. At first they can not find him, but then they do find his body. He is dead. The story continues... Good film for Mario Lopez fans. DVD offers no extras or bonuses.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable made-for-TV movie will make a nice video
Review: This was very entertaining to watch when it premiered on NBC in 1997, and I often regretted not taping it, as it has never aired since then. Now that it's coming to video and DVD, I'm glad. It is well-done, the acting is good, and it is suspenseful. This Lois Duncan is even better than I Know What You Did Last Summer, and it's worth at least renting.

Rating:
Summary: Better Than The Book
Review: With lots of star power (Scott Bairstow, Amy Jo Johnson, Michelle Williams, and more), Killing Mr. Griffin occasionally hits home because it contains realistic elements of teenage life--at any rate, the life of an awkward, smart, unpopular teenage girl, Susan, who is dying to be popular. Amy Jo Johnson plays this part well. After her teacher, Mr. Griffin, humilates her in class, Susan agrees to be part of a prank that is operated by some of the popular kids, including the guy she has a crush on. The kids want to humilate Mr. Griffin, like he humiliates his students. But the prank goes horribly wrong, and the students spend the rest of the movie living with the consequences of having to keep a terrible secret. Susan is especially haunted by what has happened. Her friend Maya (Michelle Williams) and her family suspect she is hiding something, and Susan is conflicted between doing the right thing and keeping her "good girl" image. It's a bit scary at times. Sometimes even a little *too* dark and edgy. It isn't the best film out there, but it is an interesting story and features talented actors, which more than make up for the dreariness of the plot.

Rating:
Summary: A somewhat dark teen flick
Review: With lots of star power (Scott Bairstow, Amy Jo Johnson, Michelle Williams, and more), Killing Mr. Griffin occasionally hits home because it contains realistic elements of teenage life--at any rate, the life of an awkward, smart, unpopular teenage girl, Susan, who is dying to be popular. Amy Jo Johnson plays this part well. After her teacher, Mr. Griffin, humilates her in class, Susan agrees to be part of a prank that is operated by some of the popular kids, including the guy she has a crush on. The kids want to humilate Mr. Griffin, like he humiliates his students. But the prank goes horribly wrong, and the students spend the rest of the movie living with the consequences of having to keep a terrible secret. Susan is especially haunted by what has happened. Her friend Maya (Michelle Williams) and her family suspect she is hiding something, and Susan is conflicted between doing the right thing and keeping her "good girl" image. It's a bit scary at times. Sometimes even a little *too* dark and edgy. It isn't the best film out there, but it is an interesting story and features talented actors, which more than make up for the dreariness of the plot.