Anyone that survived High School knows that hormone-crazed teenagers can be some of the cruelest human beings in existence. Although this can sometimes be justified by poor family conditions and authoritarian school systems, juvenile delinquents are a serious problem. It’s no surprise that there are dozens of international cases of teachers violently lashing out at problematic students, but who exactly is to blame when students drive a teacher mad? This is the idea behind Ruth Platt’s first feature film, The Lesson, that offers an introspective look at both victims and culprits.
The story follows Evan Bendall as Fin, a high school student living in a small British town. Without a supporting family or even well-adjusted friends, Fin is stuck in a life of delinquency, with no appreciation for his studies or future in general. After he and his friend Jake, played by Tom Cox, go too far in making fun of their English teacher, Mr. Gale (Robert Hands) sets out for revenge, preparing a lesson that his wayward pupils will never forget.
The UK is sadly known for having an excessive amount of teenage criminals for what seems to be ‘first world’ country, and the film industry has caught on. With movies like the criminally underrated Eden Lake and Michael J. Bassett’s Wilderness, it’s quite refreshing to now see the blame shifted to authority figures in The Lesson, though this one is a lot more ambiguous in that regard. The movie deals with universal themes that resonate with anyone who might have had a hard time growing up, using this particular scenario as a jumping-off point.
Most of the performances here were phenomenal, and Hands did an amazing job at creating a fascinating and sadistic antagonist that you can still sympathize with. Bendall’s role also carries this duality, as flashbacks slowly reveal how he was brought up, and the conditions he’s had to deal with in order to get where he is. None of their actions are entirely justifiable, but that’s why the characters are believable. Michaela Prchalová is also surprisingly good as Fin’s crush and his brother’s girlfriend, though her role was rather minor.
What’s most surprising about The Lesson is how it manages to fuse together intelligent filmmaking, through character depth and Mr. Gale’s one-sided rants, with what can only be described as torture porn. Although it doesn’t quite reach the bloody heights of Hostel, this film isn’t afraid to inflict pain on its characters. The educational and social discourse, however, make sure that the story never descends into B-movie exploitation territory (not that there isn’t place for exploitation-y horror films).
As Mr. Gale forces his captives to learn from their experiences, the viewer also comes to realize that his methods, though inappropriate, have the best intentions in mind even though they entirely miss the point. Ultimately, this is a film about characters dealing with a lack of love and acceptance in bleak world, and thus, there are no straight answers. The Lesson won’t present you with a solution to delinquent youths or mistreated teachers, but it might spark a discussion about how it’s possible to prevent these horrible situations before they happen with a bit of empathy.