Radical

Somehow, it works. In large part this is thanks to the performances. Derbez is very likable, if a little too prone to moments of moist-eyed pathos, but the young actors are phenomenal.

Christopher Zalla is never other than smart and sensitive, while drawing fine performances from his young cast — a sweet echo of this model relationship between teacher and student.

Woe betide any who might suggest that it is profoundly manipulative and unabashedly sentimental. That said, there’s no gainsaying the skills of director Christopher Zalla and the cast.

This uplifting movie, written and directed by New York-based filmmaker Christopher Zalla, is a potent reminder that we should never give up on children, because to do so is to give up on the future.

"...hardly radical filmmaking. But like teaching, if it reaches just one struggling student or one burned-out teacher, the film argues, it could well change the world."

You’ve seen this movie before; you probably won’t mind seeing it again.

Radical stands out for the grit and honesty of its storytelling and setting, and for the unfakeable authenticity and commitment of the mostly young cast.

There are fabulous performances by the young actors, many of them first-timers, and by Daniel Haddad as the sceptical principal. But most of all by Eugenio Derbez as the dog-eared Sergio.

It's an engaging story, packed with empowering moments and played beautifully by Eugenio Derbez and a superb young cast. And while much of the film has a comical, uplifting tone, it also remembers the darker realities.

A film that celebrates a dynamic, unconventional teacher who gets great results from his lucky students, telling a story that has its heart in exactly the right place