A surprisingly gripping picture given that it just follows a French class full of teenagers and their teachers. France has a fascinating inner city clash of cultures that is brilliantly portrayed and teased out in this film. There are a few real shocks thrown in for good measure. Really enjoyed this drama and definitely recommend. Pure discourse and battle of wits between the kids and the teacher.

This is a fairly thought provoking film about young adolescents in a multi-cultural school setting. There are different perspectives shown via people with different personalities, although most of them are quite challenging for the teacher to engage with. I thought the performances seemed quite realistic and I suppose it's a good platform for discussing the themes it covers, including pupil peer pressure/bravado, tolerance, acceptance and how teachers respond to the way pupils 'act out'. There's discussion of the balance between positive encouragement for good behaviour versus punishment for negative behaviour. It may make you see things from other peoples perspectives and so I think it's a good film but it may seem a bit dull for some perhaps - its got a reasonably slow plot pace and I'd suggest its perhaps good as a film to discuss afterwards, rather than an entirely entertaining and 'fun' film as such but it has a pretty solid feel to it, so I'd recommend it, although it won't be for everyone.

Started out conventionally like most classroom narratives with progressive humbling till it slowly diverts to something somewhat more realistic with conflicting irrationality and empathetic provocation that somehow questions the said realism when thinking how things should've been handled better. Aside from the troublesome nature lacking sensible, wholesomely helpful connective heft, it brews a nostalgic atmosphere within a social commentary docudrama hybrid issuing a statement that classroom narratives tend to address through sophisticated performances albeit towards deafly disconnected, non-redemptive receptions under elliptical obscurity. (B)

Perfeito, muito realista, apesar de se passar entre os muros numa escola francesa, se torna um retrato da educação nos países subdesenvolvidos, especialmente me escolas públicas, interessante observar na periferia da França o grande número de imigrantes, o filme praticamente gira em torno deles, em especial sobre serem ou não franceses, e a enorme dificuldade dos professores ante a rebeldia cada vê mais latente de nossos adolescentes, por vezes desinteressados e destrutivos, retrato esplendido...

It's like Stand and Deliver, but the teachers have problems too. The Class brings to mind quite a few relatively conventional classroom films of years prior; there are always kids from rough backgrounds that have never been given the right opportunities to succeed. Where Laurent Cantet's Palme d'Or-winning, somewhat autobiographical depiction of this classic setting differs from others is in its relative amorality, particularly in the range of circumstances that students find themselves in and especially in the teachers' responses to problem students. Many are totally burned out, others remain idealistic, and the majority have seen too many to treat them all with individual attention; some students absolutely slip through the cracks due to sheer numbers or bureaucracy, whilee some educators dedicate the same level of interest to the economic viability of a new coffee machine that they do to their pupils' wellbeing. Bégaudeau's M. Marin is a distinct character as a result of this treatment, dedicated to his students but intermittently misunderstood by them and often subject to his own emotional outbursts when confronting subjects that he feels passionately about. It's a story about good intentions being weighed down by a system not entirely capable of supporting those that it needs to, but too much of it seems familiar to feel totally fresh. (3/5)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>My first experience watching <em>The Class</em> (2008) was during its initial theatrical UK release back in 2008. Taken to the cinema as a 12-year old, it was my first foray into French cinema and an experience I remember fondly. The emotional resonance of shock from the difficult final conversation between François and Henriette had stuck with me over the last 9 years, but I chose to rewatch the film as I struggled to recall the plot or major conflicts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>The Class </em>is what it says on the tin - the majority of time is spent inside of François' classroom and explores how a teacher navigates his boisterous group of French students. Through this teacher-student dynamic, the film depicts a breadth of educational issues and outlines some specific difficulties within Paris' 20th Arrondissement. The result is a thoroughly thought-provoking examination of macro-educational issues such as student discipline and the role of parents in education. Some reviews have criticised how the narrative fails to convey a resolution, in that it expertly demonstrates inherent issues but never goes a step further than leaving lingering questions. However, I believe that the film does more than paint a damning portrait of the educational system. François demonstrates the importance of the continual effort to impact the lives of students - even in the face of imperfection.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The film offers lingering shots of François in thought, contemplating how best he can teach his disruptive class of students. In an ideal world François would likely be a well-natured likeable teacher, yet, he realises he needs to be strict to keep his students in line and focused. It's clear being authoritative isn't natural to him yet something that he believes he must maintain, this struggle between being authoritative and vulnerable impressively explored through his relationship with Esmerelda and other. A balancing act that permeates across all walks of life. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is scrutiny on every mistake François makes. There are multiple occasions where François is in the wrong (as it is pointed out by his students), yet his constant focus on trying to right his wrongs is admirable. Ultimately, the film offers enough glimpses of little personal wins for his students that demonstrate the impact he makes in the classroom. Khoumba's behaviour is markedly better after the <em>almost-</em>private admonishing from François in the first half of the movie. Similarly, while the final classroom conversation explores Henriette's failure to learn, it shouldn't gloss over the rest of the respective educational progress in the class, especially with the more difficult students in his class. This is an imperfect conclusion to his school year, but François is an imperfect character working in a flawed school system. As shown from the final scene of students and teachers playing football together, regardless of great failures or pushbacks, François will not give up in his efforts to drive change. This on-screen determination makes <em>The Class </em>more than a question mark of a movie.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->

Based on an autobiographical novel written by the protagonist, performed by actual students and filmed from a documentarylike observational perspective, this Cannes Palme d'Or winner and Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film divulges an unflinchingly honest portrait of the challenges teaching at a Parisian multi-ethnic working class school.

Ce n'est pas bon. The characters are unlikable, boring, pretentious. The cinematography is clostrophobic. No resolution. I felt no emotion throughout the movie.

foarte frumos si realist. m-am oprit la sedinta cu parintii.

This is by far the worst movie I have ever seen. It's two hours of stupid french kids sitting in a classroom making sassy comebacks to their teacher who doesn't even really care.

Interesting view into a part of French society. Solid but unremarkable. The subject matter just doesn't peak my interest that high.

I enjoyed this even if I'm not sure the film as an overall package ever quite achieves what it sets out to, or if as a cinematic package it ever quite matches the individual tension and interest of the classroom scenes. Well worth a watch though.

Intelligent quasi documentary focusing on a French teacher and his students in the outskirts of Paris grappling with teaching, inspiring, class room management and bureaucratic travails. Subtle and well performed. This is no Hollywood Stand and Deliver. Just teachers and kids from a realistic perspective. See this and give a teacher a hug.

THE CLASS (aka ENTRE LES MURS) is a film that is certain to be divisive in some way, whether it be with the borderline slavish devotion to realism or the teacher at the center of the story. While I wouldn't say that I loved it, it was very good on multiple levels. The film follows a teacher (Francois Begaudeau) in a Parisian high school and the class he teaches over the course of a year. Pretty early on, it becomes clear that he has a different approach to teaching than a lot of the other teachers he works with, building a rapport with his students by getting to know them on a personal level. Still, this bunch of inner-city kids aren't the easiest to work with, and have a lot of ups and downs with their teacher. Earlier when I used the word "slavish," I didn't completely mean it in a negative sense. What I really mean is that the film goes to great lengths to accurately portray its subject, the Parisian educational system. I remember bits and pieces from when I was in high school French class, but its an entirely different experience watching what it's probably like onscreen. One way in which this film takes a realistic approach is by using (apparently) non-actors/students to portray the class of students. The end credits also indicate that a lot of the teachers used their real first names, probably because they were also teachers in real life. Most importantly, this film is based on the life experiences of the actor portraying the main teacher, M. Marin, who also used to be a teacher himself. Completing this realist approach is the exclusive use of handheld camerawork and the lack of a score. All of these aspects combine to create the feeling of watching a documentary. Even the dialogue doesn't really feel like dialogue, instead hewing pretty close to how French students probably talk. This cinema verite approach might not work with a lot of people, who might find it boring, but I thought it was compelling enough. The only major issue I have, and this could just be me imposing my cultural experiences onto another, is an event which takes place late into the film. Given that the students in this film are fairly rowdy and occasionally disrespectful, it would make sense that there be some disciplinary action taken. And by and large, the teacher deals with his students in a very progressive way. However, I felt like he crossed the line in one scene where he lets his own students get the better of his emotions, and there isn't any repercussions. For me, this was a large setback to the likeability he had established up to that point, and yet after the event boils over it was like nothing had happened at all. Again, it's probably because things work a little differently in France, but it probably wouldn't fly here in the US, especially in the current academic climate. Overall, THE CLASS is still a very valuable and interesting film for the insight it provides into the inner workings of the Parisian school system and the relationship of a teacher with his students. Highly recommended.

Fascinating look into the classroom in the methodical French style.

Some films are, simply, outstanding by artistic criteria. They are rich, moving, complex, thought-provoking, intricate, meaningful, or the like. At least partly because of their quality, such films have played a key role in the history of cinema. A film may be historically significant by virtue of its influence on other films. It may create or change a genre, inspire filmmakers to try something new, or gain such a wide popularity that it spawns imitations and tributes.

This is a great teacher movie, I was impressed that the teacher played himself in the movie

Watching this movie makes you feel that you're really part of the class. The dynamic interactions and intense encounters between the teacher and his students create a very engaging watching experience.

Review In A Nutshell: The Class is an excellent film that explores the difficulties of being a teacher. The whole film takes the point of view from the side of the teacher, and I found this to be interesting as most films would take on the student's point of view in order for the audience to easily relate. The Class successfully made me sympathise and empathise for the struggles that teachers have to go through. The film also accurately depicts students quite accurately and not be boxed in by the stereotypes that are commonly found in school student characters. The film's cinematography takes a hand-held approach, giving the audience a more personal view of the situation. It constantly follows the action of the scene, and is combined with cuts that goes back and forth between our protagonist and the students. I never really noticed the film's score, i'm not even sure if there was a score but it never really needed it as the acting, and story alone creates that sense of drama and tension. Francois Begaudeau plays our protagonist, Francois Marin, and he did a wonderful job in capturing the difficulties and internal frustrations of being a teacher. Laurent Cantet has made a strong film that touches on a perspective that isn't generally used on film. By the end of the film, it made me think back of my high school days and the difficulties that my teachers had to go through in order to get the students to learn and grow. I do thank my teachers for what they have done for me, because without them, I wouldn't be where I am now.

Review In A Nutshell: The Class is an excellent film that explores the difficulties of being a teacher. The whole film takes the point of view from the side of the teacher, and I found this to be interesting as most films would take on the student's point of view in order for the audience to easily relate. The Class successfully made me sympathise and empathise for the struggles that teachers have to go through. The film also accurately depicts students quite accurately and not be boxed in by the stereotypes that are commonly found in school student characters. The film's cinematography takes a hand-held approach, giving the audience a more personal view of the situation. It constantly follows the action of the scene, and is combined with cuts that goes back and forth between our protagonist and the students. I never really noticed the film's score, i'm not even sure if there was a score but it never really needed it as the acting, and story alone creates that sense of drama and tension. Francois Begaudeau plays our protagonist, Francois Marin, and he did a wonderful job in capturing the difficulties and internal frustrations of being a teacher. Laurent Cantet has made a strong film that touches on a perspective that isn't generally used on film. By the end of the film, it made me think back of my high school days and the difficulties that my teachers had to go through in order to get the students to learn and grow. I do thank my teachers for what they have done for me, because without them, I wouldn't be where I am now.