A Choral Music Teacher's review (with SPOILERS - be forewarned!)

Rating: 9/10 (6 September 2005)

As a certified choral music teacher, I want to add my $.02 regarding this film.
I, personally, very much enjoyed it. It illustrated extremely well the positive effects of music in students' lives (discipline problems minimizing, self-confidence rising, and just making a child happy to find an activity they enjoy pursuing). Watching Mathieu conduct the first set of choral warm-ups as well as teaching Morhange proper posture made me smile, as these are familiar teaching tools to choral directors.
What made this different from a film like "Mr. Holland's Opus" is that the movie didn't end with a large concert attended by an audience of supportive,crying parents/students in honor of Mr. Mathieu. In "The Chorus," Mr. Mathieu was fired from his job and went on to teach music privately for the remainder of his life. The cheesy, typical American style which would have the film end with a swelling orchestral score as the aforementioned concert audience stand to cheer/cry with joy would certainly evoke an immediate emotional response. However, this is an example of Hollywood being Hollywood. It's impossible to NOT get emotional when Mr. Holland hears his orchestral composition performed for the first time at a retirement concert in his honor. Hell, I got verklempt seeing that. But, sadly, it simply doesn't happen that way. "The Chorus" illustrates this well with it's unpretentious take on the life of a struggling musician trying to make it as a teacher.
The following is what happens to a large majority of vocal music professionals with big aspirations - they end up teaching full/part-time in a college/university setting, a school system, or give private lessons in a very humble manner, occasionally finding a chance to compose a small work for a local event and/or sing in a local opera/choir/musical/etc., without any fanfare. Those who DO go on to perform professionally almost ALWAYS say, "Well, I wouldn't be able to do this without working as a teacher/professor. That's where all professional singers start." These people teach for years, often touching the lives of students in countless numbers of ways, then retire to live a simple, quiet life. He/she will get a 'Thank You' from a few students and maybe some parents, but beyond that, not much else. For most, as they look back on their careers, they are generally happy to have had opportunities to teach young people the magic of music as well as feel that magic themselves as the occasional performer/composer.
Music teachers can also identify with some situations in this film. Who could forget when Mondain was hauled away and Mathieu leans out the window and says, "...but he was my only baritone." As much as Mathieu despised this ill-behaved hellion, he was, in fact, his only baritone for the choir, leaving Mathieu somewhat disappointed when he left.
Also, the attitude regarding music in the eyes of some school administrators (i.e. Mr. Rachin in the case of the film) should not be foreign to many music educators. The music program is deemed completely unimportant and unnecessary UNTIL it is noticed as a success and a delight - only then does the administrator praise and announce his 100% support for the music program - and, of course, claim the program as his brainchild.
I wish I could show this in a classroom. There are, however, a few crude scenes which make this impossible.
The only reason why I gave this a 9 out of 10 is that the 'action' began to slow a bit towards the last 1/3 of the film. I found myself losing focus as the month of May rolled around in the film.
To comment on what another member said regarding the music skills coming about too fast. Do remember that this film takes place over several months, with progress not seen until the Spring. This is not atypical and not unusual at all. With an inspiring, determined teacher, and daily rehearsals with implementations/consistent enforcing of 'good singing habits' (all of which the boys had in the film), true quality can be seen over a span of a few months. The progress of the boys singing skills in the film was, therefore NOT so unrealistic.
In my opinion, every music educator should see this film - especially if one is in the choral music field. It is inspirational without being pretentious and, well shmaltzy. It's a much more true-to-life portrayal of the ups and downs of a music teacher with hopes of something bigger. Those not in the music field who are perhaps used to over-the-top portrayals such as "Mr. Holland's Opus" may not find themselves giving the film a standing ovation.