The Substitute (1996): cast, story & where to watch
1996 · Film · ★ 6.9
Released in 1996, The Substitute is an action and thriller film directed by Robert Mandel, running about 114 minutes. “The most dangerous thing about school used to be the students” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. When an inner-city Miami schoolteacher gets her knee broken after standing up to the school's gang leader, her mercenary combat specialist boyfriend goes undercover as a substitute teacher to take down the punk. Soon he discovers a conspiracy of criminals at work, and must reassemble his team from his last jungle raid to stop them.
Who’s in it. The Substitute stars Tom Berenger as Jonathan Shale, Raymond Cruz as Joey Six, Marc Anthony as Juan Lacas and William Forsythe as Hollan, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, The Substitute has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $14.8M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads and MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Substitute page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Substitute tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Substitute (1996)?
- In US, The Substitute is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Substitute worth watching?
- The Substitute holds an audience score of 6.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action and thriller. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Substitute?
- The Substitute stars Tom Berenger, Raymond Cruz, Marc Anthony, William Forsythe and Luis Guzmán.
- When was The Substitute released?
- The Substitute was released in 1996, with a runtime of about 114 minutes.