Review of The Class (2008) by Fred H — 17 Apr 2009

Not much happens, really, but Entre Les Murs is not about plot, it's about the characters and making the spectator feel like one, too, like another kid in the class. Yes, we don't get to know much about their private lives, for example, all we know about François life is that he's, aparently, not gay. But everything we need to know is said in his attitute towards his colleagues and students and his devotion to his work. And we get a close look into the lifestyle and education of people of different races living in France.

The dialogs feel authentic and, even though most of them are amateur actors, the performances are somewhat excelent. There is no uplifting ending like in other movies that treat similar subjects like Mr. Holland's Opus, Mona Lisa's Smile, Dead Poet Society and Les Choristes, quite the contrary, the only lesson to be learned from Entre Les Murs is that there are no easy solutions and that inspiration and happiness only lie in moments.