101. The Kindergarten Teacher; movie review

THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
Cert 12A
97 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate sex, drug misuse, infrequent strong language, unsettling scenes

Oh, Maggie Gyllenhaal where have you been?
She is one of the best actresses in the world and yet it has been five years since she was seen on the big screen.
The Kindergarten Teacher is a wonderful demonstration of her huge talent and why I have missed her.
Sadly, I doubt that it will be seen outside of the arthouse circuit.
Not that Gyllenhaal will mind - she's been busy winning awards her TV work, playing in Broadway and turning her hand to producing.
Indeed, she was a producer of Sara Colangelo's movie in which she also stars as the title character.
The Kindergarten Teacher is a curiosity which I suspect will infuriate some film fans and delight others.
It highlights the mental deterioration of a infant school teacher (Gyllenhaal) who is awoken from her mental slumber when she thinks she has discovered a five-year-old genius (Parker Sevak).
Her protege, Jimmy, makes up poems which are short but, apparently, show astonishing maturity (I know nowt about verse).
Coincidentally, Gyllenhaal's character, Lisa has been attending poetry class but has been struggling to create anything worthwhile so appears to see the chance of glory, vicariously through the little boy.
The problem is that nobody seems to appreciate what she sees as a talent equivalent to Mozart's.
Lisa's obsession takes over her life and, in common with many sufferers of mental health issues, she feels progressively more isolated from those who cannot see what she does.
Colangelo's movie will not be for everyone because it is neither action-packed nor does it offer resolutions.
But its premise struck both Mrs W and me as believeable and it is extremely well executed, covering all agles of those who may be affected by the curious relationship between teacher and very young boy.
Oh, and little Sevak is great as the genius poet.
It is a movie which may slip under many people's radar but will live with us for quite a while.

Reasons to watch: Award-worthy performance by Maggie Gyllenhaal
Reasons to avoid: My lose some because of its slow pace

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? Rabindranath Tagore, Indian poet, short story writer, song composer, novelist, playwright, essayist and painter and a Nobel Laureate, wrote his first poem when he was only eight years old.

The final word. Sara Colangelo: "It has been a unique opportunity to discuss what role, if any, poetry has in modern American life. Is there space for beauty, meaning and human expression in the current Administration and in a world of smart phones, videogames, guns, and remote overseas wars?"

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