Redundant and unnecessary.

Perfect cast and a good story

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

I said this was the best movie ever the day after I watched it and am still saying it a decade later (though I have not watched it lately) It is slowly but perfectly paced. The action tales place within, and at the end it serves up your hart on a silver platter... The catharsis is deep but not painful like in Pan's Labyrinth or Jacob's Ladder, this movie stole my heart without ripping it out my chest. Oh the plot and so on? Don't worry about that, you would not be watching this movie for "a plot" though will not miss it either if you seek humanity in cinema.

"Monsieur Lazhar" is a substitute teacher who approaches a school principal to get work. He fails to tell her that he is a 'political asylum' seeker, not a permanent resident, to get work. Of course, he does get the job. This, by the end of the film, made me wonder why he didn't undergo a background check ... I loved this film, M. Lazhar (played incredibly well by Mohamed Fellag) is a teacher I wish I had but never did. He's charming, sensitive and really gets his student's minds back to learning (after their teacher hangs herself in the classroom). As an Algerian immigrant, he has ended up in Canada after his family were murdered by political extremists. His role, from what I could understand is to get his children to talk about death. This seems to be a taboo subject and the politically correct Canadian education system has troubles with this.However, for me the best characters in this film were the students, what a great bunch of young actors, amazing: Sophie Nelisse and Emilien Neron were amazing.Loved it, big time.

This tightly written gem manages to pack a powerful emotional punch, while avoiding clichés and "cheap shots" - no easy task in a film that examines the emotions of 11/12-year-old schoolchildren and their teachers.The acting is for the most part charmingly low-key, and the action minimal, leaving the viewer wanting more, right up to the calmly controlled yet emotional ending (no spoilers here!). The movie also raises some interesting (and highly topical) issues about physical contact with children in the classroom or at summer camp (hugging, patting on the back, applying sunscreen, wiping a bloody nose, etc.). While one minor character expresses the popular viewpoint, the film contains several key scenes designed to let viewers make up their own minds.Highly recommended - I rarely give anything 8 out of 10!

about small things. show of nuances. and lesson. about height of pain. about state of stranger in a strange country or situation. touching, subtle, profound. extremely delicate. picture of a world and discuss about values. a velvet and silk story. about rules of society. about cold rules and warm feelings. about fear, force of memories and limits. about circle of gestures facts. about solitude and fragility. or, only, a good script and a remarkable performance of each actor. a special event. and window to a form of salt happiness. must see it ! because a review is not enough to describe the flavor, wonderful flavor of this trip in the essence of fight against yourself.