By: debbie lynn elias
Who doesn’t have a favorite teacher? The one that encouraged, influenced and cheered you on through some of your most challenging academic moments. The one that helped shape your career path. The one you always remember and think of fondly. And what teacher doesn’t have a favorite student? A most promising student. Written by Dan and Stacy Chariton and directed by Craig Zisk, THE ENGLISH TEACHER has both – devoted English teacher Linda Sinclair and her once prized pupil turned playwright, Jason Sherwood – and both facing crossroads in their lives.
Linda Sinclair is a hopeful romantic. Middle-aged, single, devoted to her students, prim, proper and precise, her view of the world, and love, is built upon the romanticized ideas found in the “classics” of literature, books which she has read time and again, loving more each time she turns a page. Jason Sherwood is a former student who left small town Kingston, Pennsylvania for the NYU dramatic writing program, only to fail having his thesis play produced. Returning home a failure to now do his doctor father’s career bidding, Jason and “Miss Sinclair” reconnect when she pepper sprays him during a late night trip to an ATM machine. It’s with a heavy heart that Linda learns that Jason is now being forced to give up on his dreams of writing and enrol in law school. Still wanting to be that guiding light for her students, and former students, Linda offers to read Jason’s play. Gushing, crying, bawling even, Linda is so moved by “The Chrysalis” that she determines to have it produced, albeit as a stage production at the high school with drama teacher Carl Kapinas, frustrated Broadway musical actor, at the helm.
As the production moves forward, the students are beyond excited to be performing an original and controversial work written by “one of their own.” Kapinas creates his own dramatic hilarity obsessing with the production values, wanting it to be a Broadwayesque extravaganza which also means Linda ponies up a lot of cash to help pay for the grandiose designs. As the professional collaboration between Linda and Jason intensifies, so does their personal relationship, leading to a not so graceful tryst in the classroom – on a desk – only to be followed by a streak of jealousy when Jason takes up with the play’s leading lady, Halle Anderson. And did I mention that along the way, Linda finds herself in the emergency room under the care of Jason’s oh-so-handsome doctor father?
As Linda Sinclair, THIS is the Julianne Moore, nuanced physical comedienne, whose performances I fell in love with years ago in the comedy Evolution. She is, in a word, brilliant! Playful, with a deliberate light touch, youthful vibrancy and shy timid school teacher air, Moore screams “innocent funny”. And then she adds in the casual ease of pratfalls. Joyous! Priceless!
Michael Angarano is a delight. As Jason, he is earnest, believable, still so naive about life but also manipulative in trying to make a name for himself at the expense of others. His chemistry with Moore flows with an easy excitement, almost like a puppy love. It’s the teacher crushing on the student and it’s adorable.
As Dr. Tom Sherwood, Greg Kinnear is at his affable best. Perfect bedside manner as a doctor. Perfect as a demanding father. Perfect as a man falling for the pretty teacher. But then you see Nathan Lane’s Carl Kapinas. Divine! Over-the-top, over-emoting hilarity. Funny. Likeable. Lovable. The teacher that every former student remembers as loving and the teacher that every current student loves. Lovely little part for Nikki Blonsky as the die hard acting student with the fervent Irish brogue on stage. And Lilly Collins’ Halle? Ethereal bitchiness!
Written by Dan and Stacy Chariton and inspired by their own love of books and an immersion into fiction, THE ENGLISH TEACHER is a journey for all. Delving into the complex issues of self-discovery through a thoughtful blend of laughter and gravitas, we see the safety of drama on the page become the danger and adventure in the drama of life. (Fiction is a safer reality than life.) Inspirational and encouraging, the Charitons deliver themes of “Never give up. Never give up on your dreams of success, work, romance. Never settle.” Creating a play called “The Chrysalis” just solidifies the metaphor of the film and the transformative nature of life.
With a construct that feels like we are turning a page in a book with each word of dialogue, each scene, the story itself has thematic elements and structure that mirror and celebrate classic literature yet have a timeless feel thanks to Craig Zisk’s easy direction and beautiful light cinematography of Vanju Cernjul. A narrative voice-over courtesy of Fiona Shaw completes the ambient tone of “story time”, adding more layers of literary love and lightness for another element of fun.
Shot on location in small town USA, kudos to production designer Michael Shaw whose attention to detail makes the world of Kingston idyllic, further immersing us in not only the romanticized views that fiction allows us, but celebrates one important facet of the film – bookstores! An important character in its own right, the bookstore in the film is the actual bookstore in the town where the production shot.
For everyone who has ever picked up a book, fell in love with language and literature or who has dreamed a dream, for every teacher that inspired, this is THE ENGLISH TEACHER they will never forget.
Directed by Craig Zisk
Written by Dan and Stacy Chariton
Cast: Michael Angarano, Julianne Moore, Greg Kinnear, Nathan Lane, Lilly Collins, Nikki Blonsky
