1989 film by John G. Avildsen
Lean on Me is a 1989 American biographical drama film directed by John G. Avildsen, written by Michael Schiffer, and starring Morgan Freeman. It is based on the story of Joe Louis Clark, an inner city high school principal in Paterson, New Jersey, whose school Eastside High is in danger of being placed into receivership of the New Jersey state government unless students improve their test scores on the New Jersey Minimum Basic Skills Test.
The title refers to the 1972 Bill Withers song of the same name, which is used in the film. The film was released on March 3, 1989. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $31 million.
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.