Radical stands out for the grit and honesty of its storytelling and setting, and for the unfakeable authenticity and commitment of the mostly young cast.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 9, 2024

There are fabulous performances by the young actors, many of them first-timers, and by Daniel Haddad as the sceptical principal. But most of all by Eugenio Derbez as the dog-eared Sergio.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 17, 2024

It's an engaging story, packed with empowering moments and played beautifully by Eugenio Derbez and a superb young cast. And while much of the film has a comical, uplifting tone, it also remembers the darker realities.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 13, 2024

Somehow, it works. In large part this is thanks to the performances. Derbez is very likable, if a little too prone to moments of moist-eyed pathos, but the young actors are phenomenal.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 12, 2024

Christopher Zalla is never other than smart and sensitive, while drawing fine performances from his young cast — a sweet echo of this model relationship between teacher and student.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 12, 2024

Woe betide any who might suggest that it is profoundly manipulative and unabashedly sentimental. That said, there’s no gainsaying the skills of director Christopher Zalla and the cast.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 6, 2024

A film that celebrates a dynamic, unconventional teacher who gets great results from his lucky students, telling a story that has its heart in exactly the right place

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 16, 2024

This uplifting movie, written and directed by New York-based filmmaker Christopher Zalla, is a potent reminder that we should never give up on children, because to do so is to give up on the future.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 5, 2024

Inspired by an actual teacher, film-maker Christopher Zalla’s blast of sunshine leans heavily on earnest overdrive.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 23, 2024

It never falls into sentimentality but manages to be moving. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 15, 2024

Eugenio Derbez is equally yoked straddling comedy and drama.  The depths he rides through in "Radical" prove there is more beyond the surface than what meets the eye with this brilliant, underestimated artist.

| Dec 31, 2023

The film raises questions about various aspects within the field of education, urging us to reflect on the potential that each person carries within themselves, and the importance of discovering and implementing it. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: B- | Dec 14, 2023

A perfect example of what a skillful, talented filmmaker, working from a sturdy script, a granular-specific setting... can do to elevate that formula into something altogether memorable and moving.

| Dec 6, 2023

Whether in a starring role or a supporting role Eugnio Derbez is always fascinating to watch. His role as an innovative teacher in this film is one of his best.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Nov 26, 2023

The heart-warming true story is inspirational and relevant, and Eugenio Derbez delivers a powerful performance.

| Original Score: A- | Nov 22, 2023

"...hardly radical filmmaking. But like teaching, if it reaches just one struggling student or one burned-out teacher, the film argues, it could well change the world."

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 14, 2023

Radical tells an impactful story about how inspiration can be found in unorthodox ways. Credible performances elevate this drama, which is based on real people — even when there's a familiar formula about a charismatic teacher who changes students' lives.

| Nov 11, 2023

The students are not child actors plucked from agencies, but genuine locals. Derbez’s interactions are thus charged with a special enthusiasm. Everyone feels real, because they are, and we genuinely feel for everyone involved.

| Nov 9, 2023

We should embrace Radical’s humanistic approach, which focuses on overriding negative stereotypes and outlooks. The result is a story that’s beautifully moving.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Nov 9, 2023

Thanks to credible child actors and a not-so-funny Eugenio Derbez, the true story of Sergio Juárez Correa precisely reaches our hearts. [Full review in Spanish]

| Nov 7, 2023