Lean on Me (film)

Lean on Me
Lean on Me
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	John G. Avildsen
Written by	Michael Schiffer
Produced by	Norman Twain
Starring	Morgan Freeman; Beverly Todd; Robert Guillaume; Alan North; Lynne Thigpen; Robin Bartlett; Michael Beach; Ethan Phillips;
Cinematography	Victor Hammer
Edited by	John G. Avildsen; John Carter;
Music by	Bill Conti
Production; company	Norman Twain Productions
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	March 3, 1989;
Running time	108 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$10 million
Box office	$31 million

Lean on Me is a 1989 American biographical drama film directed by John G. Avildsen, written by Michael Schiffer, and starring Morgan Freeman. It is based on the story of Joe Louis Clark, a real life inner city high school principal in Paterson, New Jersey, whose school is in danger of being placed into receivership of the New Jersey state government unless students improve their test scores on the New Jersey Minimum Basic Skills Test. This film's title refers to the 1972 Bill Withers song of the same name, which is used in the film.