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The story is told in a flashback out of a diary of the key character Clement Mathieu (Gerard Jugnot), a musician and a class master of a group of problematic students. It is for this reason that the depth of information in the film is subjective (i.e., events deciphered from Mathieu's perspective). The narrative structure is logical, coherent and linear. Director Christophe Barratier further adds subjectivity to the narrative by making Mathieu the narrator that his voice over about his feeling to the students is heard sporadically over the film.

The story carries a theme of a caring approach to students, shown under a narrative contrast: Mathieu adopts a developmental approach to his students and their talents are thus identified and nurtured whereas the Principal resorts to a punitive approach eventually leading to the escalation of the rebellious behaviour of a student. The majority of the plot time is spent on the evolution of relations between Mathieu and his students through choir training.

The film exhibits slow cutting (but relatively faster in the second half). The children actors stage and sing very well. Diegetic songs of the choir at earlier sequences function as a musical motif and becomes non-diegetic songs that intermittently extend throughout the second half of the film.

The film is different from the predecessor of the same genre "Mr. Holland's Opus" (Dir: Stephen Herek, 1995). The former has a dual focus on the music teacher Mr. Holland (and his family) and the students whereas the latter levies the focus on the students (i.e., Mathieu's intrinsic psychology is not intensively treated). "Mr. Holland's Opus" depicts a stronger emotional dilemma of the teacher and there are more psychological interactions between the teacher and students (Mr. Holland is a long remembered teacher) whereas "The Choir" diegetically positions the teacher as a forgotten (or barely remembered at most) guy. Though not comparable to and far less touching than "Mr. Holland's Opus", the film is recommended to all parents and educationalists.

註：本評論純屬影評作者個人意見，並不代表本網立場。
Note: This views presented in this review is solely the views of the critic who wrote it and do not represent the stance of our website.

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