Lean on Me_
"Eastside High was out of control...until Joe Clark took it back."
When principal Joe Clark takes over decaying Eastside High School, he's faced with students wearing gang colors and graffiti-covered walls. Determined to do anything he must to turn the school around, he expels suspected drug dealers, padlocks doors and demands effort and results from students, staff and parents. Autocratic to a fault, this real-life educator put it all on the line.
Starring
Morgan Freeman, Beverly Todd, Robert Guillaume
Box Office
$31.9M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
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Box office
Lean on Me earned $31.9M worldwide on a $10.0M budget — a 219% return on investment.
Year context
Lean on Me was released 37 years ago in 1989.
Lean on Me is a Drama film with a runtime of 1h 48m.
CAST (20)
Morgan Freeman
Principal Joe Clark
Beverly Todd
Ms. Levias
Robert Guillaume
Dr. Frank Napier
Ethan Phillips
Mr. Rosenberg
Lynne Thigpen
Leonna Barrett
Michael Beach
Mr. Darnell
Tony Todd
Mr. William Wright
Karen Malina White
Kaneesha Carter
Alan North
Mayor Don Bottman
Robin Bartlett
Mrs. Elliott
Sandra Reaves-Phillips
Mrs. Powers
Sloane Shelton
Mrs. Hamilton
Jermaine Hopkins
Thomas Sams
Karina Arroyave
Maria
Ivonne Coll
Mrs. Santos
Regina Taylor
Mrs. Carter
Michael P. Moran
Mr. O'Malley
JR
John Ring
Fire Chief Gaines
Mike Starr
Mr. Zirella
Michael Imperioli
George
BOX OFFICE
$10.0M
Budget
$31.9M
Revenue
+219%
ROI
BLOCKBUSTER
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
108 min (1h 48m)
Country
Rating
7.3/10 (334 votes)
Budget
$10,000,000
Box Office
$31,906,454
Profit
+$21,906,454
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Lean on Me about?
When principal Joe Clark takes over decaying Eastside High School, he's faced with students wearing gang colors and graffiti-covered walls. Determined to do anything he must to turn the school around, he expels suspected drug dealers, padlocks doors and demands effort and results from students, staff and parents. Autocratic to a fault, this real-life educator put it all on the line.
How long is Lean on Me?
Lean on Me has a runtime of 108 minutes (1h 48m).
Who stars in Lean on Me?
The cast of Lean on Me includes Morgan Freeman, Beverly Todd, Robert Guillaume, Ethan Phillips, Lynne Thigpen.
How much did Lean on Me make at the box office?
Lean on Me earned $31,906,454 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $10,000,000.
What is the rating of Lean on Me?
Lean on Me has a rating of 7.3 out of 10 based on 334 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Drama