The Chorus, Les Choristes

Moving, beautiful, ironic, and inspiring. All these words describe The Chorus or Les Choristes, that was twice nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, as well as won the Austin, Chicago, and Heartland Film Festivals. After seeing it, it is clear as to why. I had not seen a movie that moved so quickly, so unexpectedly, in a very long time. Showcased in France, the movie itself is in French, with English or Spanish subtitles as you choose, and is easily understood. You feel as if you actually understood every single word they were saying. Situated in an orphanage/boy's home during or shortly after the second world war, since there is talk of the resistance, the story demonstrates the good one single person can generate in a dire situation. Clement Mathieu makes a difference in thirty so lives in an otherwise corrupt and dismal setting by starting a chorus in the school. This decision changes things. Yet many things stay the same. Therefore comes the crux. I can tell you no more except the music is angelic and the story intriguing. Even when you think you know all the details of how the story ends, the audience is surprised with an even greater unfolding of the facts at the end. It is a fascinating story and well worth the viewing. In the style of that great French master Guy de Maupaussant, and "The Necklace."