The Frustrations of Real Life: "The Class"

See the Boston Globe's review here.

"The Class" is a film about one school year in a classroom at a French junior high school, where fourteen year olds from a working class neighborhood in Paris are taught language by an engaging, bright, and not overly talented teacher. I saw this fine though disheartening French film in Portland yesterday and admired its patience and craftmanship, feeling engrossed by every minute of the two hour running time. But as someone who once thought of becoming a teacher of young adults, I became even more convinced that by NOT entering the classroom I had made the right decison: what a tough gig it is to hold the attention of thirty or so youngsters for one hour each day. The pressure I felt inherent in the job is representated in a pivotal scene in the movie when the teacher lets a slip of the tongue allow the students to unleash their fury at him, at France, at the world. Frustrations at their awareness that life may not get any better than it already is cause tensions to boil over. Very much like real life in its disdain of easy answers.

Well worth seeing but don't expect to leave the theater skipping and humming a happy tune.