Movies: The English Teacher

(Drivebycuriosity) - Everybody might remember one or two of her teachers at least. The movie "The English Teacher"  shows the life in and around the class room from the teacher´s perspective (imdb).  The film, shot on a small budget, is a hilarious and funny cabinet piece of high ambitions, classroom mockery, betrayal and cooking sexual hormones.

Director Craig Zisk and script writers Dan & Stacy Chariton tell an episode in the life of a middle-aged single woman who is teaching English literature in a provincal town high school in the northeast U.S., a white middle-class community. The teacher encounters a former student of hers, who is now a hopeful playwright, and agrees to produce his so far ignored theater play at her high school. This leads to a lot of social turbulence.

"The English Teacher" doesn´t need explosions and car chases. The performance of the excellent ensemble is entertainment enough. The adorable Julianne Moore plays convincingly the shortcomings and insecurities of the challenged teacher.  Michael Angarano as an opportunistic would-be playwright is an excellent counterpart. Watching the rest of the cast, including the young talent, is a lot of fun too.

"The English Teacher" sets a counterpoint to the usual summer season blockbuster. The little film proves that Hollywood isn`t lost to blockbusters, remakes and cartoon franchises. The dream factory can still deliver old fashioned (in the best sense of the word) entertainment.