The Ron Clark Story
A determined teacher leaves suburban comfort for Harlem, taking on a struggling class and the system that has already decided it will fail.
Overview
A passionate teacher takes on the challenge of inspiring a class of troubled students in New York City.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- inspirational
- gentle
- optimistic
- family viewing
- educator appreciation
What critics said
The film was broadly recognized as an effective inspirational television drama, with Matthew Perry's committed performance and the educational subject at its center.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ron Clark refuses the honors assignment and chooses the most disadvantaged class despite the principal's test-score priorities.
Clark learns to understand his disruptive Harlem students individually and collectively before he can teach standardized material.
Principal Turner's job security depends on strong scores, while Clark prioritizes students who have been assigned low expectations.
The TV movie uses a gentle, optimistic register and a motivational teacher-student arc to frame educational transformation.
Films like The Ron Clark Story, and why
Stand and Deliver
inspirational teacher drama centered on classroom transformation and disadvantaged students
The Great Debaters
uplifting biographical education drama about an unconventional teacher challenging institutional expectations
Dangerous Minds
earnest teacher drama focused on perseverance, student potential, and social inequality
Freedom Writers
feel-good classroom drama built around a determined educator and resistant students
Movie Details
- Director
- Randa Haines
- Release Date
- 2006-08-13
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (194)
Cast
- Matthew Perry
- Ernie Hudson
- Melissa De Sousa
- Hannah Hodson
- Brandon Mychal Smith
- Micah Williams
- Bren Eastcott
- Isabelle Deluce
- Lashonda Mitchell
- Candus Churchill
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Ron Clark Story about?
- A determined teacher leaves suburban comfort for Harlem, taking on a struggling class and the system that has already decided it will fail.
- What is The Ron Clark Story like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Ron Clark Story as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Ron Clark Story violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Ron Clark Story.
- What did critics think of The Ron Clark Story?
- The film was broadly recognized as an effective inspirational television drama, with Matthew Perry's committed performance and the educational subject at its center.
- Which films are like The Ron Clark Story?
- Films with a similar feel include Stand and Deliver, The Great Debaters, Dangerous Minds, and Freedom Writers.
- How long is The Ron Clark Story?
- The Ron Clark Story runs 90 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Ron Clark Story?
- In United States, The Ron Clark Story streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
