Nice little gem of a movie

Rating: Null/10 (13 August 2004)

Somber but entertaining "Les Choristes" is the perfect European product for the American market, and I hope it will be distributed here in the US as well. It is just straightforward enough, the Good and the Bad wearing their correct color-coded hats. But even if not an art movie, Les Choristes' uplifting story of a teacher arriving at a remote reform school in Auvergne is moving and engaging.
The new teacher, taken aback by the rigid disciplinary measures implemented by the director, finds a different way to engage the kids and keep them out of trouble. As it is easy to imagine from the title, the device is the creation of a successful chorale to harvest the undiscovered musical qualities of the troubled youths. Gerard Junot, usually confined to comedy roles is surprisingly very effective in the role of Clément Mathieu, and the Lyon chorale does an excellent job with the soundtrack.