I very rarely jump on my soapbox when it comes to matters of pure opinion, such as who should have won an academy award. But I just have to in this case. Edward James Olmos not only turned in one of the most rounded, believable and drop-dead staggering performances of the year. Bar a handful of similar performances - Robert De Niro in The King of Comedy - this is the high-water mark of the decade, when it comes to acting. How on gods earth the Academy could deem Michael Douglas a more worthy candidate of that years Oscar is startling. Stand and Deliver is a simple movie premise - the battle against impossible odds. But told with intelligence, humour and some quality acting. The setting's are right. The bunch of hoodlums, layabouts and kids from the wrong side of the tracks, are nigh on perfect. Lou Diamond Phillips in a small, but telling role, displays an awesome acting promise - that was somehow never fulfilled. However this film belongs to Olmos. It is his strength and nigh on perfect display of acting proficiency, that makes you swallow this never sugary, but border-line sweet, affair. By the end of the movie your punching your hands in the air with him, as he strolls down the corridor. Breathtaking stuff, many would argue not worthy of the kind of acclaim lavished on 'Raging Bull', but I would have to say, it is not far off it. Whatever happened to Olmos after this movie? He appears to have disappeared back to his character actor roots. I'm sorry but the academy got it way wrong in '87, so check this movie out to see why. The ultimate feel-good flick!!!
Review of Stand and Deliver
