The Chorus [12A] a.k.a Les Choristes

Imagine a film made up of a healthy dose of Mr Holland’s Opus and Music of the Heart, a touch of Sister Act, a soupçon of Good Will Hunting, and an element of countless prison films complete with the heartless warden and token understanding, sympathetic guard. This, perhaps, does not sound like a promising and original formula for a film, yet somehow The Chorus (Les Choristes), the heartwarming French film from first-time writer/director Christophe Barratier, manages to get away with it.

Nominated for two Academy Awards, for best foreign language film and best song, The Chorus, set in post-war France, tells the story of a failed musician who takes a job at a boarding school for difficult boys. In a genuinely ‘music transcends all boundaries and saves the world’ type of way, Clément Mathieu (Gérard Jugnot) brings the boys together into a choir – miraculously improving discipline, earning their respect, boosting their confidence and self-esteem, and giving some meaning to their otherwise dismal lives at a school aptly named Fond de L’Etang (Rock Bottom). It sounds sickly-sweet, and indeed there are moments of head-shaking cheese: the particularly troublesome boy who turns out to be the young prodigy with the voice of an angel, secretly sneaking into the classroom to learn the music off the blackboard after being excluded from class, for example.

The film also takes a number of tremendously predictable turns. But there is some fine acting, as well as several very endearing and convincing characters. The angel-voiced child, played by 12 year old Jean-Baptiste Maunier, truly does have a lovely voice, and Maunier gives a really good performance, particularly considering the fact that he has no previous acting experience. There is also an element of realism – anyone who has ever directed a choir, or sung in one for that matter, will relish the moment when the tone-deaf child is assigned the role of music stand.

The film has an effective score, including some original music by the director, a classically trained guitarist who played professionally for a number of years before turning to the film industry. Despite the occasional foray into the realm of sentimentality, The Chorus is a lovely movie. Soft-hearted audience members will leave with a smile, and perhaps even shed a tear. If you’re a hard-hearted cynic, it’s probably not the movie for you. The Chorus opens at The Phoenix Cinema, Oxford on March 25th 2005.

Fiona Shand (DI Reviewer), 03/03/05

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