187 Movie Poster Samuel L Jackson Australian One Sheet | One Eight Seven (also known and abbreviated as 187) is a 1997 drama/crime/thriller film directed by Kevin Reynolds. It was the first top-billed starring role for Samuel L. Jackson, who plays a Los Angeles teacher caught with gang trouble in an urban high school. The film's name comes from the California Penal Code Section 187.The film grossed $5.7 million domestically in its theatrical release.