Monsieur Lazhar

87 ? Wow, slow down there PSI. The internal conflict (or lack thereof) between Bachir and his students kept this reviewer at arms length past the film's opening yet it definitely grew on me much like how they grew accustomed to his character and practices. The whole immigration subplot was poorly handled, resurfacing prior to film's conclusion so as to give weight to the aforementioned struggle after hearing nothing about it for almost an hour. Underwhelming affair that pulls through at the end.

The kids are great. And so is Fellag as Lazhar. This is one of those rare films that doesn't step wrong once. Warmly recommended.

Films set in the classroom are always an impressive feat. This one is reminiscent of the recent "Entre Les Murs" thanks to its amazing child performances, though the themes and scripting are tighter due to the fictional narrative. Fellag is great as Lazhar, and it's one of those films where every character is incredibly believable. I enjoyed all the questions and themes that the director explored, all the more for the naturalistic atmosphere this was accomplished in. A standout of 2011.

The movie treats a similar crisis faced by Bashir Lazhar the protagonist and the students of the class. The acting by one and all is noteworthy, especially the child actors. The movie starts out with conflict in cultures and slowly everyone gets accustomed to each other. The movie keeps your engaged all through its journey. The way the movie deals with such a sensitive story underlines how well made it is. Must see for all.

Some lovely acting saves what is a rather ordinary and somewhat cliched film.

It's heartbreaking, subtle and beautiful.

Very nice, gonna need a re-watch.

I absolutely loved how the movie used language as a recurring theme throughout--how it can be used to discriminate, to communicate, to empower, to belittle, to express pain and joy, but most of all to bring people of all different backgrounds together. This underlying current resonated with me even more than the film's immigration or classroom issues (which are just as powerful, by the way).

Beautifully paced, truthful acting and a thoughtful, moving story.

touching..

A subtle, solid film.

Fransa'nin Cezayir'de isledigi insanlik suclari dururken elbette dogruluk payi olabilecek bir ic teror olayindan yola cikilmasini art niyet olarak kabul ediyorum.

Though its story may sound formulaic on paper, please take my word for it: Monsieur Lazhar, written and directed by Philippe Falardeau, is a sharply intelligent, deeply sad, and not remotely sappy film about both teaching and collective grief.

ist. film festival.

Falardeau should be commended for creating complex characters who cannot be pigeonholed into the usual teacher, parent, and child archetypes. However, it was at times to the film's detriment, as it spawned too many threads, often established off-camera. It made the exploration of each theme -- including the central one of collective grief -- feel a little sparse.

The acting was good. As others have said, the children especially. The story was descent. Yet something was missing. A subdued version of Dead Poet Society set in the sixth grade. Nothing particularly original and a message that is fairly obvious and the storyline quite predictable. However, despite all the minuses, it worked on some level due to the parallel experience the teacher has with one of his students. But Leaves you feeling ambivalent about whether the film was any good.

The immigration theme is somewhat mishandled and the teacher-student dynamics/interaction, though mostly compelling, does not always convince. The film, however, still manages to be a thoughtful and sensitive exploration of personal and collective grief. Despite its flaws, it's a film that stays with you.

Awesome with a few minor slip-ups. Has some of the best child performances I've seen in a very long time...

"There's great potential for the kind of issues that are taken on, but nothing is resolved, and the biggest questions, of guilt and shame, the gulf of understanding between the first world and the third, remain unengaged." - Jesse Cataldo

Could have used less of the immigration issue and more teacher/pupils dealing with mutual crisis. The child actors are really impressive, and when it finally starts to unravel the problematic feelings of some of the students towards the end, Monsieur Lazhar proves to be a mature, cathartic and highly enjoyable film.