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Critics Consensus: Monsieur Lahzar is a tender and thoughtful portrait of a man with hidden grief and also a compelling exploration of the teacher-student dynamic.
Critic Consensus: Monsieur Lahzar is a tender and thoughtful portrait of a man with hidden grief and also a compelling exploration of the teacher-student dynamic.
All Critics (117) | Top Critics (36) | Fresh (114) | Rotten (3) | DVD (1)
Although it raises timeless questions about life and loss, and timely ones about mentorship and multiculturalism, "Monsieur Lazhar" would rather teach than preach.
A gentle film can still be searing in its effect on an audience, something that "Monsieur Lazhar" proves emphatically.
With a few folds, this story could have made a script for John Barrymore, like Topaze, or for Chaplin.
You could almost describe 'Monsieur Lazhar' as a morality tale, but it's more thought-provoking than debate-provoking.
A sad, reflective study of the possibilities, and the impossibilities, inherent in the teacher-student relationship.
"Monsieur Lazhar" is good. Really good.
[Monsieur Lazhar] is a surprisingly charming, but sad, story of the sort of special mentor we're all lucky if we meet once in a lifetime.
Thoughtful, intelligent, elegant, touching, warm and with some splendid dashes of humour. It almost made me forget myself, which is weird, as well as something of a novelty.
[Philippe] Falardeau's unobtrusive direction, and the restrained performance of Fellag and the child actors, make this a powerful, unsentimental film that doesn't make you feel like you're hearing a lecture.
It rarely diverges from the template, but it's a particularly modest, intelligent and moving film.
lowly enveloping you in its pace, this is a film you never want to end.
Guaranteed to have you reaching for the Kleenex.
Even if the performances are not that strong, this is a delicate drama that could have been easily made into a maudlin melodrama in the wrong hands but instead goes for a realistic approach that renders it much more involving, touching and sincere than most films of the kind.
Super Reviewer
A refugee from Algeria goes to Montreal and takes over for a teacher who killed herself. A gentle film with an edge, Monsieur Lazhar features strong performances by Mohamed Fellag and his young class. There are many scenes that seem aimless until they're considered in the scope of the larger story. As a whole, the film is part of the teacher-as-hero genre, and while its anti-intellectualism is confined to the premise that a man with no training can succeed, Monsieur Lazhar is a nurturing love educator, thrown into an emotionally charged classroom with grief-demons of his own. Its thesis -- that there are times when educators are called on to be caring parental figures -- is ludicrous in reality, but I found it effective because of Fellag's soulful performance. I think the conflict is never fully resolved, which is a common complaint I have with French-language films. I think Lazhar should have had to expose his damage; these kids' emotional lives are on display for Lazhar, and it seemed logical that Lazhar would have to do likewise. The fable bit was an attempt, but the writing on this fable didn't go far enough. Overall, this is a strong film in a problematic genre.
Nice enough movie, just really slow. Definitely the kind that critics like....
'Monsieur Lazhar'. Gently, but respectfully deals with loss through great all-round performances and poignant writing.
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