Teachers

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Teachers

R,

1984,

1h 46m,

Comedy/

Drama

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62%

34 Reviews

Tomatometer

46%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

62%

Tomatometer

34 Reviews

46%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

High school teacher Alex Jurel (Nick Nolte) has gone from idealistic to pessimistic. His classroom methods come under scrutiny when a former pupil sues him for not ensuring student literacy, and the arrival of Lisa Hammond (JoBeth Williams), the lawyer assigned to the case, only makes things worse -- she's one of Alex's former star pupils. When Alex tries to help his other students, he just gets into more trouble with timid principal Horn (William Schallert) and the school board.

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Critics Consensus

With moments of stinging satire undermined by jarring tonal shifts, Teachers offers an education in the limits of a strong cast's ability to prop up uneven writing.

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Peter Stack

San Francisco Chronicle

Dec 8, 2025

2.5/4

The comedy doesn't pay off in this story that has pretensions to deal with serious issues. Still, the thing may be worth seeing, if only because it's the only movie that attempts to look behind the scenes of an urban high school.

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Kathleen Carroll

New York Daily News

Oct 3, 2021

2.5/4

Fails to communicate its message of social concern and it winds up looking as frenzied and juvenile as every other teen exploitation flick.

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Mike Ritchey

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

Oct 3, 2021

2.5/4

Nolte is always interesting to watch. Had they not been detained with an elementary-school script, both he and the picture would have fared better.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Jan 26, 2026

3/4

It’s too often painfully obvious in its implications and heavy-handed in its delivery, but that’s countered by the assembly of an exceptional cast as well as the prevalence of themes that remain relevant.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Nov 30, 2023

3/5

…aims for the black comedy of the The Hospital but ends up with sitcom parabolising…

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Laurie Horn

Miami Herald

Oct 3, 2021

2/4

It's not the comedic touch that's the problem, it's that the touch doesn't sting.

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Poe W

Dec 31, 2018

Teachers is an okay film. It is about a well meaning but burned-out high school teacher tries to maintain order against the backdrop of a pending lawsuit. Nick Nolte and JoBeth Williams give decent performances. The script is a little slow in places. Arthur Hiller did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the humor and drama.

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Harry S

Mar 11, 2010

Cheesy and dated with poor acting. I didn't like it. (First and only viewing - 5/11/2010)

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Arthur Hiller

Director

Nick Nolte

Alex Jurel

JoBeth Williams

Lisa Hammond

Ralph Macchio

Eddie Pilikian

Allen Garfield

Carl Rosenberg

Lee Grant

Dr. Donna Burke

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86%

40%

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Synopsis

High school teacher Alex Jurel (Nick Nolte) has gone from idealistic to pessimistic. His classroom methods come under scrutiny when a former pupil sues him for not ensuring student literacy, and the arrival of Lisa Hammond (JoBeth Williams), the lawyer assigned to the case, only makes things worse -- she's one of Alex's former star pupils. When Alex tries to help his other students, he just gets into more trouble with timid principal Horn (William Schallert) and the school board.

Director: Arthur Hiller
Producer: Aaron Russo
Screenwriter: W.R. McKinney
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 5, 1984, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 46m
Sound Mix: Surround

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