19 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10. On CinemaScore, audiences gave the film a rare grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale. Awards and honors 1989 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Motion Picture – Morgan Freeman (won) Outstanding Motion Picture (won) 1990 Young Artist Awards Young Artist Award Best Motion Picture – Drama (nominated) Best Young Actor Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Jermaine 'Huggy' Hopkins (nominated) Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Karen Malina White (nominated) Jackie Coogan Award – Norman Twain, producer (nominated) Other honors The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: 2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains: “Crazy” Joe Clark – Nominated Hero 2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs: "Lean on Me" – Nominated 2006: AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers – Nominated Aborted television adaptation On September 13, 2018, it was reported that a television series based on the film was in development at The CW. The project, hailing from Warner Bros. Television, was written by Wendy Calhoun, with LeBron James, Maverick Carter, John Legend, Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius also set to executive produce. The female-led drama was to center around "when a spirited young black teacher [named] Amarie Baldwin scores the principal job at an Akron, Ohio, public high school, she must dig deep to transform a failing campus into an urban oasis. In a time when education and school safety have life-or-death stakes, Amarie will take on a broken system that tests her mettle, love life and family. But can she keep her moxie in check in order to embody the aspirational educator that motivates and uplifts an entire community?" On February 8, 2019, it was revealed that the script was not picked up to pilot. See also List of hood films References External links 1989 films American coming-of-age drama films 1980s coming-of-age drama films African-American biographical dramas Warner Bros. films American high school films Films about school violence Films about race and ethnicity Films scored by Bill Conti Films set in New Jersey Drama films based on actual events Films directed by John G. Avildsen Films about educators History of Paterson, New Jersey Films shot in New Jersey 1980s biographical drama films 1989 drama films Cultural depictions of educators 1980s English-language films 1980s American films