Review of Monsieur Lazhar (2011) by Kathy U — 03 May 2012
Monsieur Lazhar - Beautiful and heartwrenching. This is a story of a group of students who lost their teacher when she committed suicide inside their classroom. An Algerian immigrant, Bachir Lazhar, applied and was immediately accepted to take over the job.
The way he teaches and deals with the children seemed to have much more sensitivity than what the other teachers do. What they don't realize is how much their new teacher knows of their pain first hand.
His acquaintance with grief allows him a much-needed perspective towards the care of his students. The circumstances of the teacher's death, the students' and staff's reaction to it, and Lazhar's own back-story combine to create a compelling and touching film.
The convincing performances by Emilien Neron and Sophie Nelisse, especially that climactic part by the end, and that final moment before the credits, reduced me to tears by the end of the film. This truly deserves the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination.
5/5.
This review of Monsieur Lazhar (2011) was written by Kathy U on 03 May 2012.
Monsieur Lazhar has generally received very positive reviews.
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