The Class

Last night I saw The Class at Coolidge Corner. The film follows a year in the life of a Paris high school French class. The students are a mix of native Parisiens and immigrants, some of whom are bright while others struggle. It becomes clear early on that the students in this school are not from the privileged part of Paris.

Watching the film was exhausting, but in a good way. I felt immersed in the class's daily lessons during which the students bombarded their teacher, Mr. Marin, with questions, wisecracks, and the usual adolescent insolence, apathy, and high spirits. The challenges were non-stop. The students were at times moody, angry, and generous. While most of the film was focused on the students in the classroom, there were scenes depicting the teachers discussing each student's progress or lack of and how much or how little discipline to impose.

Overall, it was a very good film, and showed the challenges an urban high school faces educating students who are not from wealthy or comfortably middle class families, and who may be immigrants struggling to fit in a country whose culture doesn't reflect their lives.