The problem with "Teacher" is that the filmmakers could never make up their mind how to approach the serious topic of bullying. Was this primarily a social drama? Was it dark comedy? Was it a horror picture? Was it a revenge/action picture? The film combined genres into a mishmash of cinematic forms.
The strength of the film was in the interesting set of characters and the attempt to expose bullying, especially for young people at home and in school. The film was successful in portraying the life-damaging consequences of bullying.
We saw this theme unfold through the lens of the protagonist, the English teacher James Lewis. We watch him try to get students to grapple with the question of victimhood in their study of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice." Like Shylock in the play, Lewis feels that he is an outsider to his world after his own history of abuse at home and at school. Now, in a leadership role, Lewis finds himself in the position to do something about stemming the abuse that he witnesses in his classroom.
Sadly, Lewis was not a very likable character himself, based upon his strange behavior and the inept way that he seeks to help the young couple of Preston and Daniela. The film's ending takes a bizarre and head-scratching turn with Lewis turning the film into a kind of "Death Wish" revenge saga.
The filmmakers deserve credit for raising consciousness about bullying. While it may not be endemic in society to the degree that it is depicted in the film, it is important to understand how any form of bullying may result in a lifetime of damage to a fragile psyche.
One of the best scenes in the film was the confessional of Arabella, who opened up to Lewis about her own history of abuse. Lewis's callous response was surprising, given his own passivity in the face of abuse. He should have responded to her with compassion. Instead, he berated her, she left the bar, and never reappeared in the film. It was in the poor handling of moments like this one that the film let its audience down.
The strength of the film was in the interesting set of characters and the attempt to expose bullying, especially for young people at home and in school. The film was successful in portraying the life-damaging consequences of bullying.
We saw this theme unfold through the lens of the protagonist, the English teacher James Lewis. We watch him try to get students to grapple with the question of victimhood in their study of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice." Like Shylock in the play, Lewis feels that he is an outsider to his world after his own history of abuse at home and at school. Now, in a leadership role, Lewis finds himself in the position to do something about stemming the abuse that he witnesses in his classroom.
Sadly, Lewis was not a very likable character himself, based upon his strange behavior and the inept way that he seeks to help the young couple of Preston and Daniela. The film's ending takes a bizarre and head-scratching turn with Lewis turning the film into a kind of "Death Wish" revenge saga.
The filmmakers deserve credit for raising consciousness about bullying. While it may not be endemic in society to the degree that it is depicted in the film, it is important to understand how any form of bullying may result in a lifetime of damage to a fragile psyche.
One of the best scenes in the film was the confessional of Arabella, who opened up to Lewis about her own history of abuse. Lewis's callous response was surprising, given his own passivity in the face of abuse. He should have responded to her with compassion. Instead, he berated her, she left the bar, and never reappeared in the film. It was in the poor handling of moments like this one that the film let its audience down.