‘The Teacher’ Review: A Powerful but Imbalanced West Bank Drama

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In her initial film venture titled “The Teacher,” director Farah Nabulsi, who is of both Palestinian and British descent, seeks to highlight the preposterous hardships experienced in life under military rule. The story unfolds in the West Bank, where it was also shot over a span of three months. This film, chosen for the 2023 Toronto Film Festival, follows a distressed Palestinian teacher grappling with his political convictions during a tense period, as he becomes mentor to a student he nurtures.

Nabulsi’s multi-generational storytelling shows a skillful touch, although some of the film’s other plotlines involving American and British characters feel less natural. The film shines brightest in its ability to skillfully interweave the inner and outer worlds of its Arab characters, which are persistently disrupted by the turmoil that surrounds them.

Nabulsi’s movie effectively handles a story spanning multiple generations, but some parts involving American and British characters don’t feel as realistic. However, it excels at showing how the personal lives of its Arab characters are affected by the violence happening around them.

The movie starts by showing English teacher Basem (Saleh Bakri) driving to work, and Nablusi sets a mood that’s both tense and inviting, with beautiful scenery. In his class are two students, Yacoub (Mahmoud Bakri), who is older and a bit rowdy, and Adam (Muhammad Abed El Rahman), the younger and smarter one. Despite their age gap, they’re in the same class because of Yacoub’s past experiences with Israeli detention. Even though he faces difficulties, Yacoub has some luck on his side – not only does Basem care about him, but so does a British social worker, Lisa (Imogen Poots), who periodically checks up on him.

Nevertheless, no level of caution or kindness can avert the unexpected destruction of the brothers’ house, brought about by an unspecific command from the IDF, which they are compelled to pay for. This is just one instance of many heart-wrenching indignities suffered by the film’s Palestinian characters, similar to those portrayed in the Academy Award-winning documentary “No Other Land.” They find themselves with limited legal options to contest these hardships. With few alternatives remaining, Adam ponders and devises methods for revenge, but Basem, having previously walked the path of anger, urges him against it.

In the movie, the tense dynamic between me and Adam, reminiscent of a father-and-son relationship, serves as the heart of its drama. This tension keeps our performances teetering on the brink of an explosion, making them captivatingly intense. The plot demands that we not only express raw vulnerability but simmer in these emotions for prolonged periods, which Nabulsi skillfully portrays with a straightforward and unadorned approach. Even the subplots that fall short, such as my budding romance with Lisa, seem to carry this lingering tension, reflecting the emotional weight placed on me and Adam by oppressive authority figures.

When there’s no healthy outlet for anger, it often gets directed internally. But as we delve deeper into Basem’s heartbreaking history – a father whose child was jailed for protesting – and uncover his covert links with resistance groups, the idea of constructively managing feelings becomes more intricate. Meanwhile, an American diplomat (Stanley Townsend) and his wife (Andrea Irvine) travel to Tel Aviv in a desperate bid to free their son, an IDF soldier captured by one of these groups who demand the release of a thousand Palestinian prisoners in exchange for his safe return. These two narratives – of fathers striving to shield their offspring from the brutality they experience – beautifully complement each other, although the Israeli portion of the film’s plotline leans towards being excessively expository.

The storyline in this movie seems reminiscent of the actual case of Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier who was released after 1,027 Palestinians were freed, raising questions about the perceived value of Israeli versus Palestinian lives. Regrettably, the film delves too explicitly (and possibly too preachy) into this question, when it could have been made more impactful emotionally. To put it simply, “The Teacher” portrays the hardships and humiliations people endure just to survive, yet it fails to fully explore the value comparison in a way that resonates as deeply as other scenes – for example, the heart-wrenching scene where Adam’s home is demolished by bureaucratic procedures.

In “The Teacher,” as portrayed incidents such as homes being demolished and conflicts with settlers occurred during filming, according to Nabulsi. This film carries an intense feeling of authenticity due to the actors’ skill in expressing the potential outcomes, even the impossible ones, often without using words. The actions or inactions of the characters, as well as their unrealized catharsis, are crucial aspects of their narrative and reflect life in the West Bank more broadly – a reality that Nabulsi portrays with raw, realistic tones, despite her challenges in directing her first feature film.

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2025-04-11 03:48