School heroes School for difficult teenagers at the monastery. Ireland, 1939. We have all known for a long time that in the modern world, the school where church ministers work rarely has good morals. The St. John school is the exception, one priest beats students with a belt in the face, another just rapes them.
But in this quiet pool bursts absolutely secular man, Mr. Franklin, who is trying to really help students, teaches them to read and write, if possible tries to protect from the terrible reality around and force to teach Shakespeare. In the evenings he is sad for his dead wife and rereads the lyrics of the Spanish Civil War. And it is quite obvious that he did not fight there on the side of Franco.
To evaluate his actions is rather stupid, his attempts to help and educate teenagers fighters for a bright future, he actually frames his students. And most importantly, he does not have to answer for his actions.
The heroes of the film are rather the boys themselves who dared to rebel against the existing order and suffer terribly in order to prove that they are Humans.
This film (unlike the Choirists) fairly honestly reflects the relationship between the world of adults and teenagers. If not for a rather implausible ending, then the film could safely put the maximum score.
8 out of 10
Original