The Chorus (Les Choristes)
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Movie Reviews of The Chorus (Les Choristes)
Movie Review: GORGEOUS MUSIC, WONDERFUL HEART
Summary: 5 Stars
In this masterful effort by first-time director Christophe Barratier, the new prefect at a school for troubled boys decides to start a chorus, against the cruel headmaster's warnings. It seems just the thing to give the boys purpose and unity. But then a true juvenile delinquent is enrolled as an experiment, and he upsets everyone's world and even sabotages the chorus.
Gerard Jugnot is wonderful as Clement Mathieu, the prefect, whose heart for the boys and love of music holds the whole piece together. Jean-Baptiste Maunier plays Pierre Morhange, an exceptionally talented boy in whom Mathieu takes special interest, and who is telling the story as an adult. Marie Bunel plays Pierre's single mother, with whom Mathieu is smitten, and of whom Pierre is ashamed because the other boys tease him about her beauty. Francois Berleand plays the dapper but unfeeling headmaster Rachin.
There is an often repeated philosophical maxim at the school: action-reaction. Rachin uses this concept to show the boys that whenever they do something wrong, there will be a negative reaction, often in the form of "lock-up." Mathieu goes against this system by showing the boys love. It is his love that wins them over to his way of thinking, while Rachin's methods only alienated them and made them worse. The boys see that Mathieu is on their side, so the chorus grows and blossoms, as do the boys.
Mathieu writes all the music the boys sing, and it is wonderful, especially the solos by Pierre. He has a beautiful soprano voice. This is a very touching, heart-warming film, but there are some rough moments. It isn't easy converting a prison to a boys' home. Anyone that loves music, boys, education and seeing how love can change someone's life will love Les Choristes.
Waitsel Smith
Movie Review: TEN STARS!
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow---so many adjectives spring to mind: delightful, enchanting, inspiring, heartfelt, memorable... If you have a heart and don't mind having it touched, see this movie. If you love kids, see this movie. If you are a teacher or a musician, see this movie. If you love old French movies, when they were good, like Truffaut and Malle....see this movie.
Some of the reviewers here have complained that the story is predictable.
I found the acting so good and the story so engaging that I followed right along, not knowing what was going to happen. Even if I did (this is the second time I've seen it) it's still so charming that every moment was enjoyable. (I rarely see a movie more than once.)
The Amazon reviewer actually called this overly sweet but I notice that the average number of stars assigned is five---as good as it gets, so I think he's outvoted. Too bad some people are so cynical that they complain about honest goodness. There's a difference between genuine sweetness and sacharine sentimentality. I often cringe at Hollywood's ideas of "adorable children" but these kids are fresh and natural. There is no lack of pain and grit in the story either.
The acting is wonderful. Gerard Jugnot, as the pear shaped, "chrome dome"
failed musician, teacher captured my heart immediately and never let it go.
I won't give it away, but the ending is terrific---Bring Kleenex!
Last, the music is enchanting! If you don't see this for any other reason, this is enough. I love what one of the readers here said---that several angels in Heaven resigned when they heard these kids!
It's a great gift idea, too!
Movie Review: One of 2004's Very Best Films
Summary: 5 Stars
This, potentially sad, French import, turned out to be one of the most joyous celebrations of life to hit cinema in a while. Set in Fond de l'Etang, a dreary boarding school for troubled boys in 1949 France a sense of hopeless claustrophobia pervades the air. Enter Clement Mathieu, (an absolutely remarkable performance by Gérard Jugnot that had me literally cheering) the school's new Prefect, a lonely, middle aged failed musician who narrates the story through his journal, and life will never be the same. An unlikely Mary Poppins, his effect on the students is lifechanging as he fights for less punishments and more socially rehabilitative activities for the ruffians in his charge. Eventually, he forms these troubled kids into "The Chorus" and the sound of beautiful music brightens the dank halls of Fond de l'Etang, changing the place forever.
Inspired by his students, Mathieu's own rehabilitation - a restoration to the world of music, an occurrence of which he never dreamt - is as inspirational as any other aspect of this beautiful tale. He reaches into his soul and begins composing new music. In his journal he writes of how the boys may not understand the depth of what's occurring, but "inspired by them, I compose, each day, for them."
There is a sense of realism to "The Chorus" which shows not all of these misfits can be saved, and deception, hostility and disrespect, though seemingly diminished, never completely disappear. A potentially down beat ending reinforces that reality, but does not diminish one once of the sense of amazing joy this movie leaves you with. My highest and heartiest recommendation.
Movie Review: A triumph of the human spirit!
Summary: 5 Stars
My daughter was in a thigh high cast ALL summer. I watched many movies with her. Of the *very* many movies I rented from Netflix, this is one of the three that I had to own. (I preview all none G rated movies, so many of them I saw twice)
It is a deceptively simple movie that grows more and more wonderful. I greatly enjoyed the actors, and the music.
An eventually heartwarming story of a failed teacher become prefect at a horrible French boys' school for "difficult boys" who changes their world for the better. For two of them it's a permanent change.
Fond L'etang, which means bottom of the swamp/mire, is aptly named. The headmaster is a martinet, short on tolerance, and quick to seize another's glory.
While some of the scenes are very disturbing, enough so that I did not share this movie with the daughter in question, the movie captivates.
My only quibbles are these: 1) Having sung with symphony choruses for over ten years, "the world renowned conductor" at the beginning of the movie CANNOT conduct. The music was not "in his hands" at all! (The actor who plays M. Clement, the teacher who runs the chorus, can conduct quite well.)
2) I used to be fluent in French. I would have greatly enjoyed the option of having French subtitles. We can have English subtitles in English-speaking films, why not French subtitles in French-speaking films?
-end quibbles-
I am particularly fond of movies that are about the triumph of the human spirit. This movie is one of the best that I have seen!
Movie Review: Heartwarming Storyline, Beautiful Music, and Very Darn Good Acting
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a pretty critical person, when it comes to judging the quality of a movie. And even I have to say that this movie is awesome! It is truly beautiful and moving. The music in the film alone is absolutely brilliant and completely took me away into another world. Just for the music, you should watch it!
I watched this film about two years ago for my French class. What I really love about this story is that it is about a teacher, who is considered a failure himself, goes to a school where there are dysfunctional kids and really brings hope and joy into their life through music. The kids and the teacher have a rough start. They try to prank him whenever they can and try to make him leave the school. When he first arrives there, he asks these misbehaving and ill-reputable children what their dreams are, and asks them to write it on a piece of paper. What surprises Mathieu, the teacher, is that although these kids are seen to be so reckless who cannot be helped have Dreams. They know what they want to become in the future. There's so much depth and layers to this film, which I appreciate.
There are so many movies that are so plain or formulaic. Luckily, this movie is neither of those. It makes you think, reflect, and have a little hope and also a pocket full of sunshine. Bring some tissues and a full heart.
The only one thing that I didn't like was the ending. A problem I often find is that even the greatest films fail miserably when it comes to the ending. But other than that one point, it's an amazing film all movie lovers and music lovers should watch!