“A realistic look at a high school classroom.  As teachers we never fully know the baggage our students bring, especially at the high school level.  When we do find out, it is often too late as the movie showed.  I think the teacher tried hard and did his best.  Knowing students is a lengthy process and most often they leave us before we fully know and understand them.”

“I loved the interactions between teachers and students.  It felt real and non- professional in a good way.  The Souleymane character was very compelling.  He was mesmerizing to watch, especially during the disciplinary hearing.”

“An excellent view into the education of children in the inner city and a system trying to cope as much as it possibly can with limited resources.  Excellent screenwriting, acting, editing.”

“Pointless and totally improbable.”

“Very realistic film.  Made me reflect over my career.”

I knew from the beginning that Souleymane would be thrown out of school.  Were you thinking of a different ending?”

“Boring!”

“I would never be a teacher!  Well done film with a good topic.”

“All educators should see this film.”

“Very good acting.  The story is very real and was very well played out.  The acting was excellent considering they were all non-professional.  Some of the mass talking got a bit too much and a bit long, but overall very good.”

“Makes retirement from teaching worth all the aches and pains of getting older.”

“Incredible insight into the dynamics of a real high school classroom. I couldn’t help wondering what the solution is to working well with these kids… smaller classes, better support, changed curriculum?  Is there a psychologist, social worker?  What can a school really do?  The film should be required for everyone!”

“Captured the frustrations and the triumphs of teaching.”

“More of a documentary than a film.  Difficult to watch.”

“A sense of reality to their image.  My teaching is in a University.”

“Poignant and very well made.  As a teacher of younger children, it was an eye opening experience.  Made me think!”

“Very effective in showing the challenges faced by many teachers.”

“Every high school, middle school and elementary school teacher should see this film.  It was realistic and very well done.”

“It certainly captures the social undercurrents not just in France, but for most schools.  It mirrors the stereotypes, prejudices, misunderstandings, ignorance of others, adolescent issues (identity, rebellion, expression), administrative problems, classroom management, issues and conflicts that probably exist in all countries.  It was difficult to watch Francois being attacked by Esmeralda given his trying to help the students explore who they are and to support them.  Why didn’t the Advisory Committee have a translator?  How could Souleymane’s mom really understand what was going on?  I will definitely recommend it.  The girl at the end who said ‘I didn’t learn anything was so sad.’  Why weren’t the girls disciplined?”

“Too long.  The focus on Souleymane felt contrived.”

“As a former teacher I was struck by the humanness of the teachers and school administration.  Magnificent performances.  A great triumph!”

“This is the first film about what goes on in a classroom and that goes on in a school that is truly honest.  All people connected any way with education should see this film, including students, especially those in our country who are in leadership positions in school systems.  Thank you for the film and thank-you for showing it to us and thank you to the director for making it.”

“Insightful and courageous.  Gave a complex sense of humanity without needing to move outside the school to develop the social, cultural, and familiar influences upon the characters.”

“As a teacher of 28 years thank you for making such a movie which I think will become a classic.  Bravo!  Bon chance!”

“The teacher reflects a loving, caring communicator truly involved with his students.  Many students lives will have been touched by this positive experience.”

“A very affecting film that is heartbreaking in its way.  I got quite invested in all the characters, teachers and students and parents.  Plus an enlightening look at the educational system in France.  So thank you for that.”

“I loved this film!  A first where you really get a sense of a real inner city classroom and the teacher’s room and lounges.  Shows ‘class’ distinctions between students and teachers, especially pointed through the French language.  I feel like I should be getting a paycheck as I watched this film.  You feel the intense frustration of both teachers and students.  Francois was totally amazing as the teacher and the students were exceptional.”

“Riveting film.”

“Amazing how many important issues are raised.”

“As a non-teacher and as a non-student I found the film tedious.  But I felt the teacher deserved a merit badge for sticking with this difficult occupation.”

“This film was a true depiction of students and teachers.  The class of unruly, disrespectful students and the dedicated teacher who deserves a big ‘E’ for effort.  The non actors were very convincing and the story well written.”

“I felt the movie was very relatable to the setting and occurrences of everyday classrooms.  As an educator/English major I felt it was a powerful representation of the constant struggle of what effective teaching is.  This is seen through Francois’s teaching and how he should and shouldn’t conduct himself.”

“I thought the film was excellently made and that it portrayed not only the challenges of a teacher, but that a ‘problem child’ is not just basic and have underlying stories and just needs to be understood.”

“Perhaps this is a film more suited to urban teachers, but I couldn’t stay with it.  There seemed to be no plot, as if a camera was set up in a classroom and allowed to run.  However, my heart went out to Souleymane and Wei…I’d like to know their future.  I also was fascinated by the assignment of a personal profile; and the way Francois described Anne Frank’s diary that infuriated me, especially remembering France’s complicity with Hitler.”

“The school could be a NYC facility.  The students are universal with the same needs, problems and sexual issues.  Great choice for a staff development day in NYC schools.”

“Excellent, realistic, universal.  Thank-you!”

“I’m not sure what the message is: how well teachers know their students or how teachers must learn how to speak with their students?  This movie will appeal only to a limited audience.”

“Completely true to life.  Wish I could have had such caring teachers all through school.”

“Extraordinary performances.”