Note: This is more of a critique rather than a review.
This is one of those those soap opera style, uber dramatized stories that makes it kind of campy - but they were able to do it in a fun and refreshing way, because you usually don't see it apply to this setting.
The setting is a public school which lacks funds, or teachers who put in effort, and the students are neglected and perform poorly.
A new headmistress (or Head Master as they call her) comes and shakes things up in a very bad*** way that's very fun to watch. She makes enemies with the Assistant Head Master, a local political, and a guy who runs an expensive private school in the area.
I do have a couple of gripes with the movie. On one hand, while it is great that she has the student's best interests at heart, she is known to be really hard on the teachers, and way too friendly with the students, even allowing them to call her by her first name and getting a little too familiar with them. You can't encourage students to treat you like a friend and expect them to respect your authority (speaking as an authority). But being strict with students also doesn't mean you are not looking out for their best interest.
While I appreciate the film criticizes the complacence of the government school teachers who only collect a salary and coast on their jobs due to lack of oversight, the film places the blame squarely on the teachers. The film never asks - but are these teachers paid enough? They are compared to private school teachers several times - but it never brings up the wage disparity.
In fact, the film puts too much emphasis on individual responsibility. The headmistress convinces the townsfolk and alumni to make donations to raise funds for the school - she convinces them it is their duty. The movie places the responsibility of good education squarely on the shoulders of the teachers (and never questions those who are responsible for paying the teachers) and of the upkeep on the school on the community (and not the authorities who are supposed to fund it).
Basically the movie thinks it's looking out for the little guy, but it makes the mistake of thinking the students are the only little guys in the pictures.
But I did have a good time with it. And would like more of this please.
