A couple of days back I got stuck into Slumdog Millionaire for many reasons, one of which was its contrivance. At the time I said that many films I loved were also contrived, but not quite so blatantly. Well, this came close. And I still loved it.
The premise is as old as time: well-meaning, soft-as-shite teacher takes on a class of bad kids and inspires them to become good kids through art (music in this case). No points for originality there, then. And because there is a cast largely made up of children, it will take a lot of luck to avoid some really robotic characterisations- well, 'The Chorus' almost gets away with it. Apart from a couple of kids who were clearly chosen as singers not actors (Jean-Baptiste Maunier as Pierre Morhange, I'm looking at you) the young players are fine. The performances from the adult players more than compensate in any case- Gérard Jugnot, Kad Merad and Marie Bunel were, I thought, excellent.
I had never heard of this film before tonight, it was simply part of a collection I bought recently and I only chose to watch it tonight as it had a short running time. Sometimes life springs these happy surprises upon you- 8/10 and a big soppy grin on my face.
