One Eight Seven

Trevor Garfield, a teacher scarred by a student stabbing, leaves New York for Los Angeles in search of a new start. He takes on substitute gigs, hoping a fresh city will ease the trauma, but he soon finds a school culture ruled by violent bullies and a risk averse administration. The system wears down his patience and narrows his options, pushing him toward the edge as he tries to keep students safe while staying out of lawsuits. His next assignment lands him at a Los Angeles high school with a predominantly Native Hispanic Latin American student body. There he faces harassment from a local gang called K.O.S., short for Kappin Off Suckaz, who threaten his authority amid tense classrooms. Garfield wrestles with the creeping sense that the system they claim to protect cares more about lawsuits than students.

Directed by Kevin Reynolds and released in 1997, One Eight Seven stars Samuel L Jackson in the lead and leans on an original screenplay by Scott Yagemann. The movie marks a stark, gritty look at school life. It was produced with a budget of around 20 million.

The film earned about 5.7 million dollars worldwide against a 20 million dollar budget, reflecting its modest profile despite a high name recognition of its star. It opened to limited release before expanding to select markets, which limited its overall reach.

There were no major award nominations tied to One Eight Seven, and it largely missed the award season spotlight. Critics offered mixed takes on its approach to the subject matter and performance.

Reception centered on a blunt look at violence in schools and the strain on teachers. The film raises themes about power, accountability, and the toll of system failures on individuals trying to educate in a hostile environment today for many viewers.