I suspect every teacher has wondered if she/he be able to get the kids attention by pointing a gun at them. Having spent some time teaching I can really emphasize with Sonia Bergerac in this film. I loved the part where she starts to actually teach the lesson on Moliere and uses the gun to force an unruly student to cooperate. Of course real education can't function like that, but its probably a fantasy of many teachers.The film contains quite a bit of irony, and random chaos. I don't wish to give away too much of the story, other than to say taking the students hostage was accidental, and once she had started she was completely unable to figure out how to get out of the situation. The film has a very claustrophobic feel to it. They are trapped in a small little drama while outside larger dramas unfold including political issues, debates about how the crisis should be handed by the police, dispute between cultures, and sexual exploitation of some students. But Sonia and her class are locked within a small sound proof room.Isabelle Adjani once again demonstrates that she is a extraordinary actress who is entirely convincing in her role. Vulnerable at times, and scary in the next moment.The film has comic moments such as her demand for a national skirt day, but is largely dramatic and tragic in its tone. The film explores the clash of cultures, prejudice, and the real meaning of sexual liberation.

Mediocre at best. Important social issues but a in predictable plot, cheesy and melodramatic, weak cast, poor directing, and, as a whole, a really disappointing cinematic experience.Once Isabelle Adjani might have been a star but here and now she is pathetic. Not only she is miscast -- looks way too luxurious and sophisticated for the social milieu and compared to the rest of the cast -- but, apparently, she had a lot of cosmetic work done and as a result her face now resemble an expressionless death mask. Not much of acting either. A parody of her former self.Need I say more....

i am french from pied noir origin. i am definitely touch by this movie. While some peoples might think, the film deals with too many different issues at once.first .Isabelle Adjanie, as usual, play with her tripe's, she play for her life, in this role of a french teacher, who lost the plot. we might think, as some reviews have express, there are concentrating on too many issues, but being from a french mother and Algerian father pied noir, i growth up in the city , as we call it in France, i growth up in the city, and when to a very similar school then the movie, the reason, this really strike a chord. the fact is, yes i did get racketed it, beating up, yes, peoples might choose to ignore or brush the issues the movies address, but i, who has been in the same city school, can assure the public, this movie strike a cord, simply due to the fact i have live every issues, ( except for the rape) address in the movie. this is a very honest and blunt account of what is going on in the poorest city state school! and yes i was in this type of school back in early 80's and the same problem were already present, one would have think, things would have improve, but sadly, today, my brother and my cousin being teacher, i can assure you, they will confirm, the situation did not get better but WORSE! Isabelle Adjanie doesn't act often, it was 6 years since she had made a movie, but Christ, when she take a role, she does not act, she live her part, like there is no tomorrow! With Camille Claudel, this movie top up the very long and incredible journey of an actress, who is probably the best actress we have in France.

Adjani, as high school teacher, attempts to hold a class on a Moliere's play in the school's small theater. As usual, she receives continuous intimidation, pressures and insults from chauvinist pupils. Then a scrum between irresponsible pupils lead to a gun accidentally falling down at the foot of Sonia. Taking it, she wounds by accident one in the leg, and then initiating an hostage taking. Outside the school, police and political try to react to the situation. Inside the building, using the gun Sonia requires from his students her own vision and finally try to place them in front of their own contradictions : in a real secular society one religion should not be replaced by another one under the pretext of cultural exchanges and social improvements . This film points a finger at the whole confusion in today Western schooled society. This film presents a current and realistic situation!