SYNOPSIS:
When one of her students is suspected of theft, teacher Carla Nowak decides to get to the bottom of the matter. Caught between her ideals and the school system, the consequences of her actions threaten to break her.
REVIEW:
The minimalist soundtrack playing at the start of the film sounds like a ticking time bomb. Subconsciously, it puts the viewers in anticipation of what will happen. And this film does not disappoint.
That and its minimalist setup too. Just in a school and its people. It is another great example of a simple story told in a great way.
The focus of the story is made clear. It is centered around the main protagonist, Ms. Nowak, one of the school's teachers. But as the story progresses, the audience is made to question her reliability as a teacher and her take on the missing money case, especially after the scene where she was hallucinating of everyone wearing the same starry blouse, the same as what the suspect wearing in the captured video.
The audience was then gradually made to sympathize with Oskar and his mother (the theft suspect). And Oskar becomes the central character. Ultimately, the question at the end was about its ambiguity.
The question of truth, the methods of achieving it, and its clash with the unwritten social code are constantly at play. This film is also a silent critique of today's education system and how kids can be a grown-up and adults can be childish. The teachers are overworked yet underpaid and have to deal with kids who are not getting enough attention at home from their parents.
Also, it is about someone who's got caught and playing victim. Depending on where and who you are, you could just ask your son to publicly apologize for something you said you did not do when you were in power.
THE HIDDEN STORY
But that is just the main story. As in many great films, there is also the hidden story. The silent narrative. The scene that brings me to it is the ending where Oskar hands over the solved Rubik's cube to Ms. Nowak. (the cube debuts at the end of Act 1 and reappears at the end of Act 3). Ms. Nowak played an important mentor archetype to Oskar in also standing her ground with her case and as a dedicated teacher. You could easily tell about how one's upbringing was by looking at their character.
The Rubik's cube says about Oskar's God-given natural talent. The director cleverly showed it in a class scene where the name Thales the astronomy is mentioned when Oskar is in the foreground of the shot. His mother was wearing a blouse full of stars the day she was confronted with the video. And the final shot of the film is Oskar being lifted like a king by the police. (it's all in the Gestalt!)
It is a very subtle play on symbolism and gestalt to say something about Oskar and his high echelon. He stood his ground fearless and unmoved by anything, in between his teacher and his mother, trying to strike a balance between the suspect and the prosecutor. Between reality and perception. And with the Rubik's cube symbolism, saying anything can be solved by thinking straight.
Thus, of all the scenes and drama being portrayed all long the film, I guess everyone has forgotten about one of the teacher stealing coins from the piggy bank right?
**OSKAR AND THE SILENT CRITICISM OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM **
One word comes into my mind. Rashomon. A classic film by Akira Kurosawa saying how much something that is projected out of the screen (including one from the laptop) is influencing the audience (and society's) judgment.
Oskar is shown by the director as a kid who is naturally and divinely intelligent by design, and the ideas and perspective of such a figure are usually demonized by the system and society until one looks back at it through history and from a fresh and different perspective. Reminded me of the film "The Man Who Knew Infinity" where Ramanujan received his mathematical formula from his dreams and what brought him to Cambridge University and be accepted into the Fellowship of the Trinity.
Like the old Malay sayings. "Ibarat katak di bawah tempurung". The frogs sitting under the coconut shell will always have their perception trapped and molded as such.
Also like in the old Malay tales of Si Luncai. The King's guards who were assigned to execute Si Luncai finally fell under the repetitive spell of letting him go.
In Malaysia, we are witnessing the fruit of one education system molded to perceive. Gaslighted and indoctrinated. To be just another brick on the wall. Like how Pink Floyd sang it in the song, "Teacher, leave these kids alone!"
Also recently in Malaysia, one particular 'Luncai' just asked his son to cast a spell on the screen for a pardon. A royal one is coming soon. You could bet on it. Steal a loaf of bread and you will be wearing the orange jail suit and handcuffed. Be someone special and steal billions and you will be wearing a full suit with neckties with no handcuffs.
There is also another case of one who poked a bee's nest and now playing victim. It is easy to be in the majority populist of hopeless romantics and be diverted from the real solution.
Dunia ini hanyalah wayang or like how Shakespear said it, "All World's a stage". Always question what you see coming out from your screens, and its repetition. The algorithm in King.
This film has an Oscar (Oskar) nomination and a winner in the Berlin International Film Festival.
Trailer:
It is a psychological drama film with a lot of details. You have to pay attention to get the message you want to convey. I loved this movie. Thanks for sharing.
Agreed! Thank you for dropping by!