Stand and Deliver

Set in the predominantly Mexican neighborhood of East Los Angeles, at James A. Garfield High School, the site of the real events on which the film is based, Stand and Deliver is the inspirational true story of Bolivian American Jaime Escalante, a former computer engineer who finds himself teaching math to a rowdy group of under-resourced students. Edward James Olmos received an Academy Award nomination for his scene-stealing performance as Escalante, alongside standout turns by Lou Diamond Phillips and Rosanna De Soto. Successful both critically and commercially, the film remains widely beloved 35 years later.