Top 20 Films of 2008: #7 The Class

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  Top 20 ioncinema.com

#7. My Cannes trip ended with this fly-on-the-wall-like, unimposing French film with characters that made me see the classroom, teacher’s lounge and the school yard from a fresh perspective. What is so surreal about the film is how authentic it is, and what is fascinating about Laurent Cantet’s grip is that a 2 plus hour film is the sort of film that “doesn’t feel like two hours”. The many exchanges between teacher and students has the same effect as a suction cup – you get sucked into the drama and it does so in such a facile way and ask very little commitment except sitting in your seat. There is so much to say about this unimposing gem.

 
Eric Lavallée
Eric Lavalléehttps://www.ericlavallee.com
Eric Lavallée is the founder, CEO, editor-in-chief, film journalist, and critic at IONCINEMA.com, established in 2000. A regular at Sundance, Cannes, and Venice, Eric holds a BFA in film studies from the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. In 2013, he served on the narrative competition jury at the SXSW Film Festival. He was an associate producer on Mark Jackson’s "This Teacher" (2018 LA Film Festival, 2018 BFI London). He is a Golden Globes Voter, member of the ICS (International Cinephile Society) and AQCC (Association québécoise des critiques de cinéma).

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