Review of The Class (2007) by Brandon F — 25 May 2009

It is sometimes funny to see the way that classrooms are portrayed in modern Hollywood films. They tend to be full of prim, polished schoolchildren who know all the answers to the questions posed by the teacher, and who are only too eager to answer them. The teacher has full control and speaks to the little darlings politely in a warm, friendly way. This fallacy is what we like to call, artistic license.

The alternative is an inner city school full of ethnic minorities, who through a hard life and underprivileged background couldn't give a monkey's about school and learn everything they need from the streets. That is until a brilliant young teacher comes in and changes all of their lives around. More artistic license.

The Class is a different beast altogether; hailing from France, written by an actual schoolteacher about his experience in front of a multicultural, multi-socioeconimic group of kids, and shot as a Docu-drama with the said teacher taking the lead role - this is as close to real-life as you can hope to get. Any artistic license at play here comes only from the improvisation of the kids and the teacher as they interact with each other as they would on any given schoolday. This is life at the Chalk-face and it aint always pretty.

Msr. Begaudeau only wants to do his job well as a French teacher in inner city Paris. He is intelligent, witty, fun, firm and fair. He knows his subject implicitly and tries to deliver it with passion to his pupils. They are a rowdy group of thirteen year olds who couldn't care much less about grammar or the beauty of literature - even if it is relevant to or highlights important aspects of their own lives. There are of course those who want to learn, but they tend to be drowned out by the overactive egos of the popular/ignorant members of the class.

Msr. Begaudeau must try to remain composed as he battles to defend his subject and the knowledge he imparts. He must constantly try to calm the destructive element and stop anarchy and insubordination whilst at the same time trying to encourage some kind of fire from the bellies of even the most disaffected child. We watch as he tries to pass along some kind of worthwhile information whilst the kids only want to talk about image, status, sex, race and football. Welcome to the Modern World of Teaching.

As the year progresses we see the underlying nature of the outspoken children as well as their effect on the teaching and learning of those around them. We see Msr. Begaudeau struggle to keep his professional ego apart from his personal pride in the face of blatant disrespect - and then the consequence that results from this conflict. We know that he has made mistakes in his handling of the class, but we also know the constant barrage of abuse he has come under and the stress placed upon him - and after all he is only human.

We need to remember that teachers are not these extraordinary paragons of virtue who exist on the fringes of society, there only to be prime examples to future generations, who must behave with absolute virtue at all times. This is something that parents and politicians and pupils and plebians need to remember - and The Class demonstrates this to us in disturbingly personal detail. What we are witness to here is the battle for the education of our Future - and the Albatross placed around the neck of those who would fight for it.

Watch this and despair for the sake of society.

Tres Magnifique!