It’s an age-old cinematic canvas – inspirational and emotional teacher sets foot in a troubled neighbourhood school and attempts to transform and make lives extraordinary and in the likes of films like DEAD POETS SOCIETY, DANGEROUS MINDS, GOOD WILL HUNTING and MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS it has always provided rewarding results.
So it proves with Diego Lerman‘s award-winning drama THE SUBSTITUTE.
In a downtrodden Buenos Aires school, substitute teacher Lucio (Juan Minujin) takes over as desperate and unambitious a group of lower-level teens at one of the lower-grade schools. It’s not a particularly endearing situation on arrival, not helped by matters outside school with his community-serving father “El Chileno” (Alfredo Castro) who is opening a soup kitchen, but the world is tarnished by drugs and corrupt political ambitions.
An impromptu raid by local police on the school results in several students being arrested, notably Dylan who helps Lucio’s father at the soup kitchen. Lucio’s personal life sees him estranged from his own daughter and his ex-wife who has now found love with someone else. Lucio decides to try and help Dylan rediscover his true heart and mind, but the outside influences of the street soon prove to be as challenging as those within Dylan’s heart, coupled with the fact that his father is not as healthy as he used to be….
Deep, well-intentioned Argentinian drama which rises above the inspirational teacher module by incorporating multiple dramatic strands with some solid emotional investment amidst an engrossing drama that will certainly appeal to fans of international cinema like CITY OF GODÂ alongside the fine examples highlighted earlier.
Gritty and grounded performances, especially the wonderful ensemble of teenage actors who banter and duel off Minujin (one of the best collectives of recent years) and the dark-side-of-the-tracks visuals of the ghetto, coupled with the richness of the off-school relationships with Lucio’s family are also hugely rewarding viewing.
Lerman continues to cement his reputation with a fine, worthy effort that celebrates the best of Argentinian cinema, heightened at present by the awards run of ARGENTINA 1985.
THE SUBSTITUTE is in cinemas now.
