The Class (2007)

Touches You

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Remember your teen years? Remember the emotional trauma, the desire to be popular, the need to conform, the bullying? In Klass (2007), director Ilmar Raag and more than a dozen youthful actor-writers have created an Estonian indie masterpiece well deserving of its lofty 8.1 IMDb ranking.Twenty year-old Pärt Uusberg (his first name is pronounced PAIRt) plays the role of Joosep, a bullying victim in an Estonian high school. Vallo Kirs, 19, plays Kaspar, the only classmate who comes to Joosep's aid. The two Estonian actors turn in emotional and intense performances given their ages and limited acting experience. While Joosep looks more like a kid who would be popular in school, his quiet, brooding nature well serves the role of a student victim. Kaspar's initially hesitant assistance to Joosep renders his role realistic as well. Picked on by his entire class, Joosep suffers primarily at the hands of class bully, Anders, played by Lauri Pedaja, 20. A hairdresser by profession, Lauri brings Anders to life as a classically insensitive, aggressive bully. If you went to high school, you probably knew someone like Anders.As Joosep and Kaspar become closer, the bullying becomes increasingly violent and cruel, culminating in an act of forced sexual depravity that was filmed suggestively, but not graphically, just 100 meters south of the Stromka White House, a recreational facility on Stromka Beach in Tallinn. The horrendous abuse drives the boys to a vengeful and tragic decision that plays out in the brutal final scenes of the movie. The brilliance of Klass lies in the conflict the film creates, leaving the viewer torn between sympathy for its lead characters and revulsion for the choice they make.My only complaint is the director's decision to divide the movie into chapters. The musical interludes associated with chapter changes interrupt the flow of the movie, and the chapter titles do nothing to advance viewer understanding or anticipation. This is a minor issue, however, and some may find the interruptions artistically attractive.Amazingly, Klass has never been released in the United States, and the DVD is available only in PAL/Region 2 format at a pricey $24. DVD-Rom drives in American computers are set to play the NTSC/Region 1 disks commonly sold in North America, and the region settings can only be changed a very limited number of times (usually 4). Despite this, I was able to view the movie without changing my region settings by simply opening the disk in VLC, a popular freeware media viewer. I'm not sure if this will work for everyone.I found Klass similar in mood, theme, and intensity to Mandragora, a 1997 Czech indie film that follows two boys as they are forced into a life of drugs and male prostitution in Prague. As between the two movies, however, I feel that viewers will identify far more readily with the painful experiences so ably depicted in Klass.KEY FILMING LOCATIONS (GOOGLE EARTH COORDINATES):1. SCHOOL: Scenes near Joosep and Kaspar's school were filmed in front of the Tallinna 32 Keskkool at 59 24 37.55 N 24 41 42.48 E. (The location is confirmed by comparing Street View with the scenes.)2. WALK HOME: Joosep and Kaspar first talk while walking through a grassy power company easement. They walk past an electrical tower located at 59 24 46.64N 24 41 44.53 E. (The location is confirmed by comparing Street View with T-shaped vents and a tapered smokestack visible in the background of the scene.)3. FIGHT SCENE: Joosep is beaten up by his classmates in the paved lot next to the Electrum Trading Company. The lot is located at 59 25 2.90 N 24 41 5.17 E. (The location is confirmed by the yellow building to the north, the grassy boundaries on the west and north sides of the lot, the white quonset hut to the south, the above-ground steam line to the south, and the small building to the southwest of the lot.) 4. FORCED SEX SCENE: The forced sex scene was filmed on Stroomi Beach at 59 26 30.60 N 24 41 0.09 E. (The location is confirmed by the unusual architecture of the Stromka White House visible in the background of the scene.)

Wow.. I have to say I am still stunned after what I just saw, couldn't stop myself from writing a review instantaneously. Story is that a guy named Joosep is constantly bullied by the whole class, and when another boy, Kaspar, tries to stop other kids in the class from bullying Joosep, the other kids starts bullying both Joosep and Kaspar.At one point of time, it becomes so much that both of them takes the most extreme step. We might just say that, Joosep could have done something different, but really he didn't have any option. When the entire world is against you, you can't do anything else. One astonishing thing that I saw was role of the teachers in this flick. I know that most of the teachers, elders are like that. They are so much into their own s#it, that they really don't care. Teachers have really good idea, but they don't do anything.When you are actually watching movie, you actually waiting for Andres, Paul and other accomplices to be punished. This is indeed one of the most horrifying films I've ever seen, horror in the face of harsh reality.And, as Kaspar said you have to stand up for yourself. As, IT IS ABOUT HONOUR.

Can I name a better film? Yes I can. It's called "Art of Fighting" or "Ssaum-ui gisul" (Korean). But for a western watcher, "Klass" is much closer to the reality. Some things people from other countries take as unbelievable are actually more than real. For example, teacher in the class clearly smelling that something's up but not taking any act. I know because I had all those teachers... some choose to ignore, some to not notice and play dumb. Guns? Well, highly unlikely in a country with only handful of people with firearm permit, but movie clearly establishes Joosep's father, a testosterone bomb from Kaitseliit (US equivalent would be National Guard). If anything, all adults were portrayed way better than kids themselves, because kids, especially bullies, somewhat held back and tried not to cross some invisible line in amount of violence, which helped to build up suspense gradually. During my school years and in my class, that line didn't exist, our "Joosep" was a girl(!) and she got punched into face from strongest boy in daylight, during a class with teacher present(!)... And there were no serious consequences to this..."Klass" tells exactly how it is, but quite unlikely how it could end. Highly recommended! reduced 2 points from perfect score due somewhat dumb party scene and slow pace at places.Btw, "Klass" has a sequel, 7-episode TV series named "Klass: The life after" (original name "Klass, elu pärast"), which is about ten times more emotional and disturbing. If you're lucky, it might be up on youtube.

Almost every class in high school knows one: a lonely child that is being picked on by everyone. Unable to give proper resistance against the different kids in the class that one person becomes the victim of just about everything. Most of the time it ends up OK in the end, but sometimes it goes to a point of no return and then it ends in full flexed drama. This film is about such a drama.Starting out at the point where a kid is picked out as being the one to pick on the events that happen happen in just the right pace. The film switches between fueling the fire and licking the wounds, and later between fueling the fire and planning the counter strike. It becomes impossible not to feel a certain level of sympathy for the guy, even though his actions are unforgivable. And that is why this film works well. Klass is a harsh message and I think it should be shown to all kids in high schools to show them the darkest sides of peer pressure and the effects of it on some people.9 out of 10 difficult lessons