Customer Reviews

Monsieur Lazhar / Monsieur Lazhar (Bilingual)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

How is a class of eleven/twelve-year olds to cope with a tragedy that suddenly and out of the blue takes away their teacher? How do parents and teachers react to the trauma the children are experiencing? The school principal is under pressure to keep things "normal", none of the other teachers can take on the class, one school councillor is designated for the class of twenty plus young minds ' a crisis of great proportion' Into this challenging scenario walks Bashir Lazhar and offers himself as the ideal replacement teacher. With great subtlety and compassion does the film, Monsieur Lazhar, explore the evolving relationships between teacher and students, among various teachers and last but not least, between Bashir Lazhar at the school and his personal struggles beyond. The story touches on the different ways of dealing with loss and guilt, with honesty, lies and pretense, with prejudice and expediency. And finally, how the coping mechanisms of adults cannot easily be transferred to those of children living through a crisis. The story concentrates on two of the children, Simon and Alice, their growing hostility and Bashir's strict yet sensitive methods in dealing with the emotional struggles that the children go through.

Mohamed Fellag's acting in the role of Monsieur Lazhar is excellent, his interpretation of his character utterly convincing in his unassuming and often understated acting. The child actors, especially the two interpreting Simon and Alice, come across as natural and genuine. Philippe Falardeau, the film's writer/director came to international attention last year with his film "Incendies" that, like Monsieur Lazhar this year, was nominated for the Academy Award for best foreign-language film. [Friederike Knabe]

I am a French teacher and just saw this movie. I did not know that it would be such a moving, emotional journey and one that will reward any viewer. The young children are faced with a tragedy, and are torn between their emotions and their need to express what they feel as well as their hesitation to do so creates a tension that slowly builds up throughout the movie. The performances of Mohamed Fellag (Monsieur Lazhar) and especially that of Alice (the teacher's pet in many respects but who does so in a charming way), played by Sophie Nélisse, stand out. Very touching, sweet movie that is well worth watching.

Monsieur Lazhar nous rappelle notre déficit de compétences au Québec, notre résistance à accueillir les immigrants compétents et notre capacité de reconnaître ces compétences lorsquue les immigrants persistent à faire la démonstration de leurs capacités.

A movie about growing up, fitting in, listening, thinking and acting deliberately and consciously, Algerian immigrant Mr. Lazhar has come to offer himself as a candidate for the job of a teacher who has recently and sadly ended her career in a Montreal elementary school. He is a teacher who has enough experience and confidence to give children what he believes they need in order to be students and move forward with their lives despite the tragedy they have experienced.

Mr. lazhar is full of dialogue which gives a broad range of perspectives, particularly from the children. It's natural, optimistic despite its context, peppered with humour, melancholy, self-doubt, suspense and risk-taking.

Apart from being an insight into schools and the lives of the adults and children, it asks useful questions about teaching and schooling. It would provide a excellent springboard for discussions regarding what we do in the name of "education" and what we want for our children, and our society.

Our sympathies are with everyone in this movie (except, perhaps, the domineering set of parents!). Easy solutions are not on offer. The movie walks us through a period of grief in a school's existence, and in doing so we realize the movie has walked alongside us in our own grief. I realize I'm being a bit obscure in this review but I don't want to offer any spoilers. If this description appeals to you I would encourage you to watch the movie. There are connections and allusions to québécois culture that will increase your enjoyment if you are aware of them, but the movie is still excellent if you are not (so speaks my partner).

Bureaucracy can be heartbreaking. Although he has everything going for him, nothing works out. He remains a gold star in a world of drabness. So sad.

A wonderfully understated window on a human tragedy. Coming from London, it was very instructive to see the life of a school in Montreal and perhaps some of the more closed mentalities the Director exposes. Never sentimental but somehow eminently believable the acting by the children especially is a tour de force. Loved the multicultural classroom and the witty quips from both teachers and pupils. My favourite was Boris!

Brilliant and moving from start to finish. Wonderfully realistic acting by everyone concerned. Do not miss it - if you cannot see it in a movie theatre, rent it, and you'll probably finish up buying it, it's that good.

I have never been so thoroughly engaged in watching a movie as this one. Bravo to this Quebec filmmaker Philip Falardeau for touching the heart of a retired teacher in a very special way. This film has a number of things going for it: one, it effectively addresses a package of interconnecting issues within the framework of a very believable story; two, the acting is terrific in that it plays to the emotional tempo of the plot - no overacting or histrionics here; three, its open-ended conclusion speaks to a realism not found in many North American films these days; and, four, the film is very down-to-earth in how it handles the many challenges facing administrators, teachers, parents, janitors and, most importantly, students in a school year hit hard by tragedy. On the first count, there is plenty to mull over in terms of understanding some of life's big questions: how and why children grieve; how does the public perceive teachers; how are immigrants received in a very closed society like Quebec; how do children relate to children during a sudden crisis; and how people cope with the loss of a loved one. Within this context, all the acting is appropriately focused on trying to clarify and resolve the problems that emerge when people sometimes feel alienated, are misunderstood, are lied to, become uncertain of the future, or are just plain overwhelmed by a personal loss. As the movie finishes, the audience is left with an incomplete feeling that though people can come together to achieve a better understanding of each other's needs, the problems never really go away; we just learn how to handle them better and move on with our lives. To that end, Bachir Lazhar has to be one of those winsome characters who, because of personal adversities, is able to act compassionately when dealing with others in similar straits. While there is copious amounts of pain here, there is more than enough real love to offset it. Be prepared for a couple of well-timed surprises as you become absorbed in this most poignant of human tragedies. Lots of food for thought in this heart-warming and heart-rending production.

Merci pour envoie rapide et de bonne qualité. Etant en France j'ai été surpris de recevoir aussi vite cet article.