RADICAL Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Christopher Zalla
Stars: Eugenio Debez, Danial Haddad, Jennifer Trejo, Danilo Guardiola, Mia Fernanda Solis.
Over the years cinema has given us lots of inspiring teachers who disregard the stuffy traditional curriculum and instead set out to engage their students and encourage them to think for themselves and reach their potential. We have had Robert Donat in his Oscar winning performance in Goodbye Mr Chips (and to a lesser extent Peter O’Toole in the 1969 musical remake), Sidney Poitier in To Sir, With Love, Robin Williams in Dead Poets’ Society, Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds, Edward James Olmos in Stand And Deliver, Hilary Swank in Freedom Writers. And now we get a Mexican variation of this theme with Radical, which is based on a true story.
Radical is set 2011, in the small, impoverished village of Matamoros on the border of Mexico and Texas in which crime and corruption are rife and education is not valued. Radical is based on the true story of an idealistic and inspiring teacher named Sergio Jaurez Correra (played here by Eugenio Derbez, who also played an inspirational teacher in the Oscar winning CODA, etc). He arrives at the Jose Urbina Lopez Elementary School, situated in a depressing impoverished neighbourhood where most of the children feel that there is no escaping their circumstances. This school has the unenviable reputation as being one of the worst performing schools in Mexico.
There is a set curriculum which jaded teachers use to prepare their students for the standardised government mandated national exam at the end of the year. But Correra upends the traditional curriculum and instead inspires his students to think for themselves and empowers them to follow their own interests. They slowly become engaged with the process of learning and discovering things for themselves. His novel approach initially tries the patience of his principal Chuco (Daniel Haddad, from Murder City, etc) and his colleagues. Correra also butts heads with the corrupt local administration who have misappropriated funds intended to buy computers for the students.
The audience gains insights into the lives of three of his pupils and we become invested in their fates. The gifted Paloma (Jennifer Trejo, from Saw IX, etc) has a passion for maths and science and dreams of becoming an aerospace engineer, but her father, who lives in a run down shack and maintains the local landfill, insists that she take over the role from him. Lupe (Mia Fernanda Solis, in her film debut) is fascinated by philosophy and even borrows books from the local library, but she is forced to remain at home and look after her newborn baby sister. And Nico (Danilo Guardiola, in his film debut) seems headed for a life of crime with a local drug gang until he finds himself inspired by Correra’s unorthodox approach.
This moving, profound and engaging story is based on a magazine article entitled “A Radical Way Of Unleashing A Generation Of Geniuses” written by Joshua Davis, and which was published in Wired Magazine in 2013. The film is accompanied by a fitting epigraph from Albert Einstein: “The only thing that interfered with my learning was my education.”
Radical has been written and directed by Christopher Zalla, who has helmed several episodes in the Law & Order franchise. While his script is both insightful and moving and also somewhat manipulative, it also follows a familiar formula for this subgenre. He gives the material some weighty emotional heft and this is a real crowdpleaser. But the film also delves into some darker territory with the subplot following the troubled Nico.
Cinematographer Mateo Londona gives us a strong sense of place, beautifully capturing the depressing and rundown location of this poor border town. Paloma can see tantalising glimpses of a NASA rocket site just across the border which feeds into her sense of frustration. And Pascal Reyes’ music score superbly underscores the drama.
Correra is like a Mexican John Keating and Debez is well cast in the role. Better known for his comedic roles Debez is convincing as the dedicated and empathetic Correra and brings passion, charm and humour to his performance. Haddad is also solid as the by-the-book principal who eventually champions Correra and his unusual methodology. The young students are brought to life by a number of newcomers and nonprofessionals who lend authenticity to their roles. At the end of the film we learn what became of the bright Paloma and her story is truly inspirational.
★★★★
