Les Choristes Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)January 14th, 2005
THE CHORUS
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2005 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
THE CHORUS (LES CHORISTES), a subtitled MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS, is a small Dickensian tale and a huge hit in its native France, which has chosen the movie to be their official entry for this year's Academy Awards. Although you're seen the story a hundred times before, the movie does have its modest charms.
Set in 1949, the story concerns Clément Mathieu (Gérard Jugnot), a new teacher who has come to a reactionary reform school -- actually more of a boarding school for troubled youth -- led by a repressive leader, Mr. Rachin (François Berléand), whose motto is "Action ... Reaction!" The whole discipline angle is downplayed with most of the movie devoted to the secretive choir that Mathieu forms. Soon he has the young lads singing like angels, giving the movie its key theme of salvation through singing. (I understand the CD of the film's music is also a monster hit in France.) As the film beats its oft-told message into our heads that these bad boys are really good after all, the delightful music becomes our own salvation, cutting through the clichéd characters and the threadbare and predictable story, to make our time in the theater passable.
THE CHORUS runs a little long even at just 1:37. The film is in French with English subtitles. It is rated PG-13 for "some language/sexual references and violence" and would be acceptable for any kid old enough to be able to read subtitles.
The film, which has already opened in most of Europe, is playing in very limited release now in the United States but should open wider in a few weeks. The movie was shown recently at the Camera Cinema Club (http://www.cameracinemas.com) of Campbell and San Jose.
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