Dangerous Minds at 30

Just over five years ago I wrote about Michelle Pfeiffer’s 1995 teacher drama Dangerous Minds, on the occasion of the movie’s twenty-fifth anniversary. In that post, I shared how, despite the movie’s many flaws, it has always been a comfort watch for me. I would say it’s a “guilty pleasure” but I don’t subscribe to the validity of that term, so I won’t. Simply put, Dangerous Minds is an eminently rewatchable mid-nineties drama that’s I’ve always had a soft spot for. Michelle’s performance, in which she noshes on Cheetos and candy (a fun nod to her real life pregnancy cravings while making the film), uses the “Dylan-Dylan Project” to teach her students about poetry, and busts out her karate moves in class, is a treasure. Is it one of her best? Oh hell no. But it’s fun! Sometimes that’s enough.

Well, five years later and, what do you know, Dangerous Minds recently had its thirtieth anniversary. So here I am again, letting you know that I still have a soft spot for it. And here’s a little medley of Michelle, as LouAnne Johnson, serving up some looks. Her facial expressions in the film are never anything short of totally awesome.