Entertainment

That’s What I Am

This latest family film from the company formerly known as World Wrestling En tertainment — featuring a superb performance by Ed Harris as a 1960s high school teacher accused of being gay — certainly deserves better than a vanity booking at the Quad Cinema.

The school’s most popular teacher, Harris refuses to dignify the allegations made by a blustering parent (played by WWE champ Randy Orton). But Harris and the movie are realistic about the difficult position this creates for his character and the principal (Harris’ real-life wife, Amy Madigan).

Michael Pavone’s “That’s What I Am” is an entertaining, well-made plea for tolerance told from the point of view of a 12-year-old (Chase Ellison) who learns to admire Harris and also finds the courage to champion an awkward classmate (Alexander Walters) who’s being bullied. It will be well-worth searching out on DVD.