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THE CLASS
The Class
A French teacher confronts his antognistic class in a tough, inner city school. score

4
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1 (unwatchable) to 5 (unmissable)
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Cast
Françcois Bégaudeau, Nassim Amrabt, Laura Baquela, Juliette Demaille, Dalla Doucoure, Arthur Fogel

Director
Laurent Canet

Screenwriter
Françcois Bégaudeau

Country
France

Rating / Running Time
M / 130 minutes

Australian Release
January 2009

Official Site






(c) moviereview 2006-2009
ABN 72 775 390 361
François Bégaudeau once taught in a tough, inner city Parisian school. He wrote a book about the experience, one that struck a nerve with filmmaker Laurent Canet who optioned Bégaudeau to write the screenplay. Then he asked the author to star as himself in what became the Palme D’Or winning sensation, The Class.

It’s something of a talk fest with all action taking place on school grounds, most of it in Bégaudeau’s chaotic classroom. He tries to teach French to an uncompromising, culturally diverse group of teenagers, most of whom would rather be anywhere than in his class. They’re a tough audience who won’t cut him any slack as he’s forced to be not only teacher but guidance counsellor, warden and judge while juggling some schooling and, maybe, hopefully, improve their lot.

Such is the vérité-styled naturalism of The Class that it’s virtually impossible to tell where reality leaves off and drama begins. The experience is disturbingly authentic that - cliché alert –really does feel like being there. Canet’s cast of non-professionals are utterly convincing as they improvise around the script with astounding results. So intense is the atmosphere in Bégaudeau’s class that it’s easy to miss background developments until hit the surface.

As the dramatic arc takes hold and propels The Class to a devastating conclusion, it becomes clear that this is considerably more than any week-in-the-life documentary. Canet avoids the stereotypes associated with Hollywood styled school-drama, and eschews the happy-ending one normally expects. No one stands on a desk in support of le professeur for in this world, no one teacher can make a difference. It’s ballsy filmmaking that soars on a simple truth.

// COLIN FRASER