Monsieur Lazhar (2012)
92%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
30 wins & 14 nominations total
Monsieur Lahzar is a tender and thoughtful portrait of a man with hidden grief and also a compelling exploration of the teacher-student dynamic.
Monsieur Lazhar” is a heartwarming and thought-provoking film that will make you laugh, cry, and question the world we live in. The reserved yet impulsive personality of Lazhar is a puzzle that slowly unfolds throughout the movie, leaving you wanting more. The performances of the unknown actors are brilliant and add to the moral grandeur and political foundation of the story. It’s a gentle film that teaches without preaching and leaves a searing effect on the audience. You’ll be enveloped in its pace and never want it to end. It’s the kind of special mentorship we’re all lucky to experience once in a lifetime, and this film captures it perfectly.
Production Company(ies)
Chernin Entertainment, TSG Entertainment, Turnpike Films,
Distributor
Music Box Films
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, a disturbing image and brief language
Year of Release
2012
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 34m
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Language(s):French, English, Arabic
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Country of origin:Canada
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 13, 2012 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 28, 2012
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Mohamed Fellag, Sophie Nélisse, Émilien Néron, Danielle Proulx, Brigitte Poupart, Jules Philip, directed by Philippe Falardeau, written by Philippe Falardeau, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Deborah Ross, David Stratton, Jake Wilson, Paul Byrnes, Joe Williams, Bill Goodykoontz, Richard Propes, Mattie Lucas, Kelly Jane Torrance, Steve Erickson, Pat Padua, PG-13, Luc Déry, Kim McCraw, Music Box Films, French (Canada), teacher-student dynamic, multiculturalism, Montreal, Algeria, grief, refugee, classroom, teacher’s tragic death, mature thematic material, brief language, a disturbing image
Worldwide gross: $9,074,711
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $11,699,339
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,919
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,275,828
US/Canada gross: $2,009,517
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,590,718
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,973
US/Canada opening weekend: $112,190
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $144,638
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,800
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Sophie Nélisse – Alice
Émilien Néron – Simon
Danielle Proulx – Mme Vaillancourt
Brigitte Poupart – Claire Lajoie
Jules Philip – Gaston
Director(s)
Philippe Falardeau
Writer(s)
Philippe Falardeau
Producer(s)
Luc Déry, Kim McCraw
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
30 wins & 14 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (119) | Top Critics (52) | Fresh (116) | Rotten (3)
Thoughtful, intelligent, elegant, touching, warm and with some splendid dashes of humour. It almost made me forget myself, which is weird, as well as something of a novelty.
August 31, 2018
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
Phillipe Falardeau, who adapted the play into a screenplay, can’t entirely paper over a few niggling loose ends, but overall this disturbing film is very effective indeed.
September 6, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/5
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Lazhar is something of a puzzle, and much of the pleasure of Philippe Falardeau’s film lies in the gradual unfolding of his reserved yet impulsive personality.
September 6, 2012 | Rating: 3/5
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Very few films offer a moral grandeur, as well as a political foundation; very few films have such poised and brilliant performances from unknown actors.
September 6, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Although it raises timeless questions about life and loss, and timely ones about mentorship and multiculturalism, “Monsieur Lazhar” would rather teach than preach.
June 1, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/4
Joe Williams
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
A gentle film can still be searing in its effect on an audience, something that “Monsieur Lazhar” proves emphatically.
May 24, 2012 | Rating: 4.5/5
Bill Goodykoontz
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
If anything, Falardeau most calls into question the world and the ways in which we are raising our children.
September 17, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
A quietly moving paean to education that pulls no punches in its portrayal of childhood trauma and resilience in the face of darkness.
August 6, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
[Monsieur Lazhar] is a surprisingly charming, but sad, story of the sort of special mentor we’re all lucky if we meet once in a lifetime.
January 4, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Kelly Jane Torrance
Washington Examiner
It rarely diverges from the template, but it’s a particularly modest, intelligent and moving film.
August 30, 2018
Steve Erickson
Nashville Scene
[Philippe] Falardeau’s unobtrusive direction, and the restrained performance of Fellag and the child actors, make this a powerful, unsentimental film that doesn’t make you feel like you’re hearing a lecture.
August 30, 2018
Pat Padua
DCist
lowly enveloping you in its pace, this is a film you never want to end.
September 18, 2017
Neely Swanson
Easy Reader (California)…
Plot
After a teacher’s tragic death, a recent emigrant from Algeria takes over a Canadian classroom and forms a bond with his students in Monsieur Lazhar.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Mohamed Fellag gives an outstanding performance in Monsieur Lazhar.
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