Monsieur Lazhar - Philippe Falardeau

candidato all'Oscar 2012 per il Canada, un film che mette affianco due modi diversi di "spiegare" la morte ai bambini, il modo freddo, politicamente corretto, e quello di Bachir, magari ruvido, ma capace di contatti coi bambini.
dopo "Polytecnique", un altro film canadese sulla morte a scuola.
è un'altra cosa, con altri approcci, ma è un film che merita - Ismaele

…Le interazioni con la classe offrono alcuni momenti di commedia e più frequenti spunti di riflessione, ma i numerosi e complessi temi di cui la trama si fa carico diventano talvolta oggetto di facili vie d’uscita narrative, e anche la figura del protagonista appare non di rado vittima di una costruzione troppo semplice che non rende giustizia a un personaggio interessante e potenzialmente più articolato di quanto appaia. In effetti, l’esperienza personale dell’insegnante messa a confronto con quella collettiva della classe stentano a fondersi in l’armonia come – si intuisce – la sceneggiatura vorrebbe.
Di conseguenza, lo squilibrio nell’intreccio di temi trasforma presto il film in una favola morale che offre a tratti (troppo) facile conforto e buoni sentimenti ma che banalizza soprattutto il tema dell’immigrazione che, pur essendo centrale nella storia, appare non di rado marginale.
Lodevole nelle intenzioni, meno nel risultato, “Bachir Lazar” presenta buoni momenti ma il suo ritratto è troppo banale per convincere pienamente, non aiutato in questo nel suo aspetto visivo, con una fotografia che ricorda troppi prodotti televisivi…

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…Without pushing the parallels, the story obliquely connects Bachir’s story with his empathy for the children, especially his intuition that Simon’s distress is more complex and deeply rooted than it at first appears. When the truth is finally revealed in a flood of tears, the boy’s heart-rending confession reminds you of how easily children can torture themselves with guilt for imagined sins.

Bachir cannot follow the rules. When the class needs his emotional support, he delivers a healing, common-sense speech about the suicide to the students who take it in stride. You applaud him for his bravery and tact…
da qui

…Always hanging over the film is the horrible mystery of suicide, which disproportionately affects its young witnesses. Falardeau gently depicts the searching love-hate relationship between those witnesses: class clown Simon (Émilien Néron), given to aggressive acting out, and Alice (Sophie Nélisse), who quickly takes a shine to the school's sole male classroom instructor. The keen leading performances never hit a false note, but Néron gets the showpiece when he at last experiences an emotional breakthrough about his late teacher.

Monsieur Lazhar at times recalls more striking teacher movies, like The Class and Dead Poets Society, but it's a small gem of its own, meeting its kids on their level and celebrating a teacher who cares about their present and future.

da qui

…Bachir keeps his story to himself but we know it’s what makes him the right man for the job – not teaching, but helping the kids, in particular Simon and Alice. Their teacher’s suicide has created a rift in their friendship that becomes increasingly confrontational as the film moves forward, and Bachir – who has been expressly told not to interfere with the school’s healing process – is the only adult close enough to spot it.

Later in the film, Bachir is alone working late during a school dance. He starts moving to the music, clearly enjoying himself, and a female teacher, who has become a friend, watches with a smile before announcing her presence. It’s a wonderful, surprising little scene that catches you off guard because it’s strangely momentous. You know right then that, somehow, the kids are going to be alright…
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