Teacher Movies


First off, I'm starting to realize I don't blog much. I may tweet every day but I'm lucky if I blog once a week. I'm not ready to give up this blog just yet, though. I guess it's mostly for me because it's not like anyone reads it. I am not a sociable blogger. Oh well.

I really don't like Teacher-Student movies. The only one I ever liked was To Sir, With Love (Columbia 1967) and after that? Meh. But Hollywood still insists on making them. (Can you believe the blurb on this movie poster? "A story as fresh as the girls in their minis..." Who the hell came up with THAT?)

Luckily I put my cynicism aside and went to see the Canadian entry for this year's Best Oscar for a Foreign Film called Monsieur Lazhar (micro scope 2011). Oh I liked this movie, all right! It is set in Montreal (like last year's other Canadian nominee for Best Oscar for a Foreign Film, Incendies) and starts with the death of a teacher. Her class needs a replacement and in walks Monsieur Lazhar, played by Fellag. He has to deal with a class trying to understand their teacher's death and trying to teach in a new school, new country. He is outside his element. As the film unfolds we also discover what other things he is dealing with in his life. What I liked the most about this film was addressing death head on, and from the point of view of children who are 11 years old. The two child actor leads (Sophie Nelisse & Emilien Neron) were so good at expressing their pain & also their bewilderment as to why adults couldn't be honest with them. It showed how kids really need to be able to talk about real life experiences and feel secure. I guess it touched me because I can remember not being able to talk about certain things with my parents. Things were swept under the rug and never dealt with (like my Nanny trying to commit suicide in our basement). Sophie's Alice, especially, was so precocious & smart, and a latch-key kid (I used to wear my key around my neck too!) who was by herself a lot. I'll tell you that the times I cried during this film took me off guard. It touched me.