Trial by Fire

If you're a high school English teacher, have blonde hair and are reasonably attractive, you best WATCH OUT: according to this movie, friendly blonde teachers can be accused of murder, statuatory rape, name-sullying, school district ruining and a host of other small town plagues. They will also be reduced to choosing the creepiest, pastiest defense lawyer (Keith Carradine) to clear their good names.

In this rather dull 1995 courtroom/flashback drama (possibly based on a real story, we're not sure), Gail O'Grady is a lit-lovin' English teacher who is accused of having an unsavory relationship with one of her students, who eventually commits suicide. I can't be bothered to remember the details of this story, as it's relatively complicated and definitely boring, but I can assure you that it was Lifetimey. A highlight is Devon Odessa, better known as Angela Chase's scorned best friend on My So-Called Life, who is as bershon as it gets. Her face is always a complex stew of humiliation, outrage and boredom.

I wish I felt that strongly about this movie. As a "teacher does the vo-dee-oh-doh with student" genre goes, it's relatively tame. Gail O'Grady gives a good performance as The Overzealous Teacher Who Can't Stop Caring and Keith Carradine looks appropriately gross, like he sneaks off to the courtroom loo for a nip from his flask and to look at his pasty, drawn face and wonder where it all went wrong.

RATING: 6 above average, but the details were barely memorable.