The Worst Film Ever

Just perfect...

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The acting in this movie is really good.

As a teacher I was deeply impressed by this movie. It says in a delicate but clear way sometruths about our profession. In particular I was stunned by the profound true paranoia about physical contact with children. And I was very annoyed by the interference of families in teaching. I quote: "We prefer that you teach our daughter, not try to raise her."This happens daily in real life: family think that children are their intouchable property. Here in Italy almost daily we get news about relatives who go to school and threaten and even beat teachers!Furthermore this movie deals with doing the right thing. Some parents hate the new teacher and when they discover that he has not the right papers they get him fired. This is legally "right" but it is unfair from the point of view of the children who suffer two losses.I loved this movie for the fine acting, the right pace, the freedom it gives to the viewers to make an opinion by themselves. And my conclusion is that the main character had no titles to teach and he had to be fired even if he was fine and he was the right person for the class. But this is sad, really sad.

Monsieur Lazhar (2011)A very straightforward, somewhat predictable film that is so nicely made, and has such an oddly charming main character, you'll likely go along happily all the way. I don't think it's some kind of gem or masterpiece, as much as I was thrilled at the ending, which means it built me up beautifully up to that point.We might see two common genres mixed here. One is the school drama, with the inevitable starring teacher and a student or two who causes trouble, either literally or of the illicit love type. Then there is the immigrant story, especially an illegal, and the necessary subterfuges and adaptations all around. So the main character, Bachir, is a newly arrived Algerian immigrant who lands, by charm and perseverance, a job as a teacher in the a Montreal school. He is replacing a woman who committed suicide by hanging herself in her classroom (with the students at recess).All this is told quickly, with high drama of course (suicide is none but). And there is a tragic desperation injected right away. Even the students carry this on, traumatized and yet still children, fussing and jerking their way forward in their own odd (and lovable) ways.So the teacher adjusts, slowly, getting to the know the students and their psychological trappings. He also is coming to terms with his own situation (a couple of dull immigration meetings are shown, and though maybe necessary, maybe not). Other teachers watch and sometimes help, or try to get to know him. He meanwhile wins over the reclucant class of kids.I'm actually telling a bit of the story and leaving out what matters most—the compelling leading man, who is a show of his own, restrained and awkward and sympathetic. But I'm also letting on that these events are one we've seen many times before. There are some small twists, and there is a high level of steady (and sincere) competence at work, but we do have a familiar tale at the bottom.Well done? Yes. Commanding? Mostly, yes. Moving and new? Sometimes. It's worth seeing if you like low key, serious, contemporary films.

This film is about a substitute teacher who fills in after a class teacher hanged herself inside the classroom."Monsieur Lazhar" tells how people in the school cope after a tragedy. The children react in different ways, some leave the school, some talk about it and some act out. It is a challenge for Mr Lazhar, who has a traumatic past but he does not show this aspect of him in the classroom. Mr Lazhar's tragedy is brutal and spine chilling. However, the irony is that his tragedy is so understated in the film, that it almost appears that his traumatic past in Algeria is insignificant in a suburban Canadian community. Maybe this is to highlight different people have different perspectives and different problems to worry about.

Monsieur Lazhar is a very moving film, touched with humanity and realism. The movie takes place in Quebec and the spoken language is French. Therefore, I viewed the movie with sub-titles, which I like because I can follow the story more closely and still hear the language of the original production. Monsieur Lazhar is a special human being, who has suffered great personal tragedy and while seeking refuge in Canada, he takes up teaching a class of 11 year old children, recovering from the suicide of their former teacher. Therefore, while he is living with his own trauma, he comes face to face with the young people who are still grieving their own loss. The principal and some of the parents at the school do not believe teachers can become personally involved with the students or their problems. Sweep it under the rug and it will go away. On top of this, the school operates in a hands off setting where teachers cannot touch or hug students. Monsieur Lazhar feels totally constrained by the rules and the attitude that forbids more relaxed contact with the students. But he is a man with a heart who follows his own conscience and believes in talking out, not ignoring delicate, emotional issues. While this is going on, he has to appear before a refugee board examining his request for permanent residence in Canada. His responsibility towards the students allows him to focus on a crisis that is outside his personal misfortune. It is good therapy for him and the students benefit from his hands on approach. At the end, we sense that by being true to himself, M. Lazhar becomes a better person, not often an easy task considering the price he might have to pay.