Sunday, May 31, 2009

While Watching "The Class"...


I thought it would be a good idea to review the film in the selfportrait style Mr. Marin (François Bégaudeau) requests of his students. Only this would't be self because I'm not involved, or am I? The film's no-plot really gets your mind working on how much involvement you have in things you think you have no influence in...but this is getting complicated.
So without further ado:
I liked,
- Bégaudeau's committed performance. I could've sworn he was a professional actor and was very surprised to find this was his debut film! (Same goes for the whole ensemble).
- The plot-less approach. It was about nothing, but said so much.
- How it stayed so true to its title ("Entre les murs").
- How it didn't bother with silly backstories but still said so much about each character.
- The un-pretentiousness of its ideas.
- It never tries to be "inspirational".
-Its celebratory feeling; everything and everyone feels so damn alive!
- The fact that it feels so director-less, but actually leaves you craving for more of Laurent Cantet's work.
- The kids' names.
- Its ability to be so multicultural without stressing this out and squeezing the Benetton factor to the ultimate level.
- The feeling of utter frustration it leaves you with.
I didn't like,
- The feeling of utter frustration it leaves you with.

1 comment:

Matt Kilgore said...

STILL waiting for the dvd