Monsieur Lazhar (2012)

6.9

Movie

Canada
French
Comedy, Drama
2011
PHILIPPE FALARDEAU
André Robitaille, Brigitte Poupart, Daniel Gadouas
94 min

What it's about

During a harsh Montréal winter, an elementary-school class is left reeling after its teacher commits suicide. Bachir Lazhar, a charismatic Algerian immigrant, steps in as the substitute teacher for the classroom of traumatized children. All the while, he must keep his personal life tucked away: the fact that he is seeking political refuge in Québec – and that he, like the children, has suffered an appalling loss.

The take

After the sudden death of a teacher, 55-year-old Algerian immigrant Bachir Lazhar is hired at an elementary school in Montreal. Struggling with a cultural gap between himself and his students at first, he helps them to deal with the situation, revealing his own tragic past. A strong portrait without any weird sentimentality. 11-year-old actress Sophie Nélisse makes her brilliant debut.

Comments

Add a comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Cold War (2018)

A quiet Polish masterpiece with ravishing music and dazzling visuals

9.2

My Name Is Loh Kiwan (2024)

Love enables survival in this moving drama about the refugee experience

7.0

Dheepan (2015)

7.6

Welcome (2009)

7.1

Falling in Love Like in Movies (2023)

A contemplative Indonesian romance film that rewrites and re-examines the genre’s conventions

8.4

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.

8.1

River (2023)

A delightful and ultimately life-affirming Japanese time loop comedy clearly made with love

8.8

Forgotten Love (2023)

The stunning third take of the classic Polish pre-war melodrama

7.7

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal (2024)

WWE’s best effort to pay tribute to Windham “Bray Wyatt” Rotunda

8.5

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.