Written by Carl Lund
Starring Adrian Brody, Sami Gayle, Christina Hendricks and Betty Kaye
A substitute teacher who drifts from classroom to classroom finds a connection to the students and teachers during his latest assignment. During his stay with this school, he meets a young girl who is living on the streets, showing him just how bad it can be for those who never have anyone that cares for them. Even if it is just a teacher.
A love letter to teachers everywhere, this film shows just how stressful and emotionally draining being an educator can really be. In a "No Child Left Behind" world, where state-wide testing is everything and the failure of a single student is the fault of their teacher, this is a display of just how frustratingly backwards the American mindset on education is.
Adrien Brody gives an amazing performance as a career substitute teacher trying to make as much of an impact as he can in a short period of time. Yet he keeps himself distant as to not have an emotional breakdown like the permanent teachers that surround him every day. This film will truly give you respect for those you took for granted during your school days.
In his biggest release since "American History X", Director Tony Kaye has taken his voice and style of film making and has shout it through a megaphone. The power of this film is one that is hard to find in the endless sea of movies released every year. To say that it is gripping is an understatement. It is rare that a film grabs you and keeps you hostage such as this one did. With a star-studded cast, where recognizable names clutter the line-up, this is a movie that anyone who values education should watch.
My Rating: 10/10
No comments:
Post a Comment