Review of The Class (2007) by Dalmar H — 24 Sep 2009

The honesty with which this film is made, and acted, opens spaces far beyond its classroom confines. Using this depth, 'The Class' is a fine demonstration of what human vulnerability and fallibility ought to remind all of us: that we err.

The inability of certain characters to realize this or, if they do, ignore it, is where the film begins to demand a response from us as an audience. That it does so, as other commentators have mentioned, without explicating the relationship between the effects and their causes, is noteworthy.

To this end, we find ourselves 'interested' without a traditional story or plot to guide us. Sure, certain hints of a possible course or 'end' for a few of the students and teachers are provided, but, none are resolved.

By doing so, we find ourselves in the odd place of witnessing both familiar stories (involving young students and the classroom) while also failing to "pin" the problems/developments on any one set of roots or 'facts'.

And in doing so, Cantet has demonstrated, without much flair, why it is films like this will be remembered: because we invest ourselves in people, and less how or why they are the way they are, or how neatly plots and stories resolve themselves in films.

Some of these kids reflect (if not directly) real children with problems, or forgotten children in public school systems. Sure the circumstances of what brought them there demands attention, but it's not that which draws our concern.

We see the human first, as they are currently suffering, currently inattentive, presently dropping behind. It's the human face Cantet draws his camera upon, and effectively begs us to realize we are neither vacant nor abstract expressions.