Wonderful and very watchable film about a teacher attempting to bring his own ideas and methods to a worn out establishment.

Rating: 8/10 (12 March 2009)

From France comes a Christophe Barratier film named Les Choristes; or 'The Choir' as well as 'The Chorus' as it has been transcribed for British and American audiences, it would seem. The film is an uplifting tale, a realistic look at several pretty desperate situations for all parties involved, in a French boarding school a few years after The Second World War. The film looks at the struggles in life for several people of varying ages and roles, be they headmaster attempting to run the school; a male teacher whom arrives and is thus unacquainted and initially nervous before he attempts to bring his own ideas to the curriculum as well as several children themselves, all of whom are varying in their temperament and attitudes The Choir manages to spread its focus around these parties but uses the character of Clément Mathieu (Jugnot) as a central focus or viewpoint as the events and world around him unfolds. The film is, theoretically, one long flashback induced by an elderly man in the present day named Pépinot who went to said school with Pierre Morhange, someone who has since become a conductor of quite some considerable note. The story is unfolded through Mathieu's journal, something Pépinot has come into possession with.
It would seem a lot of people complain about the giving away of Morhange being this world famous conductor, quite literally, in the very first few minutes. The idea is, following on from where Mathieu brings musical classes to everyone at the school's attention, we know that he must've done enough to inspire a very young boy to go on and become the conductor he is. I don't think it acts as too much of a bad thing and I think that, once the entering of the man's journal and the flashback proceeds, a different lead has taken the mantle and the film is, essentially, more of a study of one man and his quest to get this choir class set up and how he will overcome diversity as well as the problems he encounters. I will point at Carlito's Way (or most any other neo-noir in which the anti-hero should or would usually 'get' his comeuppance for living the life he did) which shows the lead of that film shot at point blank range in the first thirty seconds or so. What follows is a flashback; a tale about the tribulations and actual journey of how one gets to that point.
On this basis, The Choir worked for me. I found Mathieu's story riveting and never overly sentimental or melodramatic as he just tried to inspire, educate and generally do what he wanted to do in the hope others may find it equally as fascinating and/or enjoyable. I am not a teacher myself but is this not what every teacher of any subject at any level just generally tries to do? When Mathieu initially arrives, the film balances its tone of light comedy and effective drama while establishing the sort of character Mathieu is and what lies ahead. There is a scene where a child is guilty of whatever offence and since no one knows who did it, Mathieu must pick a boy at random to be punished as he does not know any of them. He is reluctant but must go through with the situation; regretful when he sees the seemingly harmless boy he's selected for punishment and later apologetic. The school means business, the children can sometimes step out of line but Mathieu will not be moved or change his ways for either.
Initially, the children are something to fear. Their shouts and running echoes eerily through the corridors and the nasty results of a practical joke still remain on one member of staff thus preparing our lead for what awaits him but little do any of them know at the time of what changes will occur once initial contact is made. As a character, Mathieu is in a natural position of control as a teacher over the children but is more understanding as a super-egotistical element of the school, offering to introduce his own classes complete with content against the wishes of other staff. He himself answers to the headmaster named Rachin (Berléand), an individual who believes, and consequently has everyone else believe, that 'action, reaction' is the best form of education; a sort of 'solve violence with violence' ideation so that if they step out of line, you give them a good smack and hope they don't do it again.
But what Mathieu sees is that they need something to exercise their minds; a common interest he can perhaps implant within them that brings them all together and, somehow, enables everyone to just have something in common with everyone else  that thing is singing. It breeds a common ground between teacher and pupil, something everyone can do in tandem and at once. Despite some snotty reactions, The Choir is worth the time for anyone searching out an engaging film that looks at triumph over incorrect beliefs as an individual tries to bring their own ideas to the plate and construct interests set at a time in which the very nation of France was in a state of disorientation and rebuilding themselves.