La tête haute

I certainly agree with the panning of this very intense film even though I gave it a high rating which I did because when it's good, it's very good - "intense" doesn't begin to approach how gripping this film and especially the performance of Paridot is. Granted though, the characters are one dimensional: they're either totally evil, total losers (like the mother) or possessed of angelic patience and calm. I'm a soft-hearted former teacher and believe in second chances but Malony gets one hundred and two and still screws up. I kept thinking as he messed up violently yet again that THIS was the time they'd throw away the key but no, "one more chance". Totally unrealistic and a vision of money wasting in the public sector that should be cut off tomorrow.