‘Radical’ Sundance Film Festival Review: Eugenio Derbez Back in Class in Inspiring True Story

The last time Mexican superstar Eugenio Derbez had a film at Sundance was in 2021. The film was Code, and won not only all the top prizes at this year’s party, but also three Oscars, including Best Picture. He had a supporting role as an inspirational high school music teacher in this film and is now in it Radical, which just had its world premiere at Sundance on opening night at the Eccles Theatre, writes another inspirational teacher. This time it’s a true story and one in which he plays the lead role of Sergio Juarez.

Juarez (full name Sergio Juarez Correa) was the subject of a Wired Magazine article by Josh Davis detailing his rather incredible story as an unorthodox teacher in a poor Mexican border town called Matamoros. It’s a forgotten, impoverished town with little hope for its children, especially in elementary school, where he uses a teaching method he came across while watching a TED Talks video showing students leading the curriculum by learning what they learn want to learn, not what officials dictate through tests and other methods. Derbez takes on the role and chooses the comedic personality that has made him so popular, not only in Mexico, but today around the world. As in Code, he betrays every clue and displays a strong dramatic talent that brings this man and his story to life.

Yes, we’ve seen dozens of inspirational teacher films in the past – all the way from Goodbye, Mr. Chips and With love sir to Conrack, The Story of Marva Collins, Stand and Deliver, Dead Poets Society, Lean on Me and countless others. However, this small, virtually unknown story of a man determined to unleash the human potential of children who will probably never survive the conditions of their hometown is unique and special to its setting, which uses improvisational techniques and a quiet, gloomy visual style used in In which viewers are treated almost like another student in the class, writer-director Christopher Zalla makes a triumphant return to Sundance, 16 years after winning the big prize here for his first film in 2007. Our Fatherwhich also featured Derbez.

After setting up the With love sir Nature of this school, and the children in the sixth grade, we meet Sergio. He turned all the tables in his classroom and greeted the incredulous looks of his new students as he tried to convince them to get on those “lifeboats” in the sea of ​​illusion for the kind of crazy classes they had. never experienced before. We soon see that there is a method to his madness, but he finds himself with other teachers, his principal and eventually the district administrator who question the wisdom of his actions. The focus is on a series of children, mostly newcomers to acting, who all get their moment in the sun – especially his main find, Paloma (an incredible Jennifer Trejo), who supports them despite the poor living conditions and the immigrant father who barely to get around shows remarkable talent as a budding rocket scientist under Sergio’s tutelage. It is also based on a real person, and that story is true more unbelievable. There are others, like lovelorn Nico, Lupe (a fine Mia Fernanda Solis) and more, who are also challenged by the dark world of the cartels and thugs around them, but nevertheless thrive in the light of Sergio’s faith.

The Spanish-language film does not soften its story, nor the difficulties in its path, not even a nervous breakdown when Sergio is expelled for refusing to take the “test” required by the school’s students. You can almost smell the filth of this cul-de-sac of the world, America’s promise across the ocean, but more importantly Promise from inspiring teachers like Sergio to help them lead better lives. Derbez has never been better than in this film, a film that is commercially available and, when warranted, immediately bought by a distributor looking for a real feel-good story that really has the potential to make a difference to make.

Derbez produces at his 3Pas Studios with co-founders Ben Odell and Davis. Film Sales Corp. is the sales representative.