Review of To Be and to Have (2002) by Tom A — 18 Aug 2004
Now this film Etre et Avoir, affected me on a deep emotional level. It reminded me of my school days and how they differed from the school documented in the film. The films focus is upon a teacher's final year at a small rural school in France.
The teacher comes across as a genuinely tough, fair and compassionate man. The scenes where he talks individually with the children experiencing problems are really moving and I like how the documentary makers don't use voice over to describe events they merely cut interviews with the documented footage to let the story unfold.
The ending is brilliant and incredibly touching, it is a shame that these old-fashioned ways of teaching are being outdated for a more politically correct way of educating. It seems that in this country a teacher cannot get close to his/her pupils in the way showed in the film and I feel that it is such a shame that children cannot be treated as individuals and cared for by their teachers in a loving way.
A sign of the times I guess.
This review of To Be and to Have (2002) was written by Tom A on 18 Aug 2004.
To Be and to Have has generally received very positive reviews.
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