ReelRecsWhat to watch
Lean on Me poster

MOVIE · 1989

Lean on Me

Drama108 min

At Eastside High in Paterson, New Jersey, new principal Joe Clark inherits graffiti-covered halls, gang colors in the classrooms, and a school facing state takeover. Morgan Freeman is Clark, a blunt, hard-driving educator who answers the crisis with mass expulsions, padlocked doors, and demands for better scores from students, teachers, and parents alike. Based on the true story of Joe Louis Clark, the film centers on a turnaround campaign that turns one public high school into a battleground over discipline, authority, and how far a principal can go to force change.

Find out what fits your taste.

Rate movies and shows in ReelRecs, save your next watch, and get personal recommendations from the Reel Recs online service. Free on iPhone and Android.

Open this title in ReelRecs

Where to watch in US

These offers have not all been recently verified. Check the provider for current availability.

Rent

Buy

Availability checked October 24, 2026. Offers can change. Rentals and purchases are separate from subscriptions.

More to consider

Hoosiers (1986)

In 1950s Indiana, Gene Hackman is Norman Dale, a failed college coach hired to lead a high school basketball team in a tiny town where the whole community watches every decision. Dale’s temper and unorthodox methods qui…

This Boy's Life (1993)

In 1950s Seattle, a divorced mother and her teenage son head west hoping for a better life, only to land in a home ruled by a man who is not what he first seems. Ellen Barkin is the mother, trying to keep that new start…

Field of Dreams (1989)

Kevin Costner is Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer who hears a voice in his cornfield telling him to build a baseball diamond. He follows it, carving a ballfield out of his crops while neighbors question his judgment and Amy…

Catalogue checked October 30, 2026. Use ReelRecs with an assistant