review by Jake Cole
Monsieur Lazhar 2011
Watched Apr 13, 2012
Jake Cole’s review:
Tired school film clichés, broken up by the occasional flash of directorial panache or subtle performance but ultimately meaningless even by its own admission. There's a power somewhere in this film frustratingly just out of reach.
I disagree wholeheartedly. This film strayed away from all the classroom drama tropes to offer a genuine, emotionally resonant glimpse into grade school life while focusing on the hardship experienced by the children who are exposed for the first time to matters as dark as suicide.