So my Halloween entry this year is not conventional in terms of horror (I don’t know why I intimated “this year”; I’ve never done a Halloween post before) that is, unless you are a parent of a gifted child. (That’s not true. I know exactly why I intimated. I’m being conversational. Anyway…) If you are–a parent of a gifted child–prepare to be terrified.
I would like to think that my children are gifted…they are grown…
My youngest qualifies, I’m quite certain. She’s a classically trained artist. She did a portrait of her hero, Lee Van Cleef, as the character “the bad” of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, that is so good it made me weep. She captured the hardness in his eyes and his bird of prey-like nostrils and septum exquisitely. (She rolls her eyes when I say it’s my favorite. “I did that years ago,” she says.)
My oldest is a gifted arguer. She would have been a great debate coach, or possibly, even a lawyer. She’s certainly smart enough. For instance, she keeps me up to date on all the things that I say that nobody’s saying anymore. Yeah, she’s still doing that…but now it’s because what I say is so horrifically offensive as opposed to just being “uncool”. She’s a stay at home wife (and, I hope, a soon to be mother.)
So yes, both of my children are gifted.
But I digress.
In director Sara Colongelo’s 2018 drama, The Kindergarten Teacher, Lisa Spinelli (Maggie Gylenhaul) fits the “those who can’t do teach” trope to a T–within her own mind. And that’s a tragic thing, because when we meet her she is interacting with her charges so effortlessly, so gloriously that it is born to her–she, the sublime guide to a magical, mystical world where children imbibe their senses with paint, with songs, with shapes. With wonder and laughter, too.
As Ms. Spinelli, the teacher, Lisa does not dictate knowledge, she invites it in. Fittingly, she loves poetry and is a perfect judge of it, though sadly, unbeknownst to her, she is an example of it too.
Lisa takes an evening poetry appreciation class. There, her poems are dissected and deemed unremarkable by a tediously abstruse professor (Gael Garcia Burnal) a diagnoses she mercurially expects and accepts.
At home Lisa is happy enough with her chubby hubby, Grant (Michael Chernus) and their teenage children Josh and Lainie–it’s just that none of them care to share the lens that she sees the world through. To be fair, Grant makes an attempt to. It is not lost to him that Lisa is way hotter than he is, but that’s not why he indulges; it is his nature. And he loves her.
Their son, Josh, a handsome athletic senior who wants to join the Marine Corps, loves her too, as does daughter Lainie, a whip smart honor student, seemingly destined for the Fortune 500. Their feelings, clearly evident but sometimes selfishly, normally, expressed, are inconsequential to their mother. They keep their noses in their phones and prefer the company of their peers, behaviors that Grant sees as typical, which is precisely why Lisa finds them so offensive.
One day, she observes a student walking back and forth, composing verse:
Anna is beautiful. Beautiful enough for me.
The sun hits her yellow house. It is almost like a sign from God.
The student is hers, a smallish boy with pensive, yet intrepid black eyes. His name is Jimmy. He is already her favorite.
Enamored, Lisa feverishly jots down what he recites. She presents it to her poetry class as her own, not to steal it, but to test its greatness. The professor and the class love it. She repeats the process with a another of Jimmy’s poems, The Bull. It too, is enthusiastically received.
Lisa draws nearer to Jimmy, enveloping him in her powerful wings. She steals him away to the bathroom where she prods him to expound upon all he sees. She gives him her cell phone number and tells him to call her Lisa.
Meanwhile, Meghan, the teacher’s assistant, notices Lisa’s attempts to isolate Jimmy. She is wary, but unsure; Lisa is discreet.
Then the nanny discloses that Jimmy’s father, a successful nightclub entrepreneur, has enrolled him in T-ball. Lisa is convinced that the boy’s artistry will be stamped out, if not for the sake of athletics then for commerce. She connives permission from the father for some alone time with Jimmy.
The Kindergarten Teacher is an elegant study in the intrusion of obsession, by way of depression, in an otherwise beautiful and enigmatic psyche. Be warned. It will steal you.
A lovely review. I had almost forgotten this film, until I saw Jimmy’s poem about Anna. Now I want to see it again.
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Thanks, Crystal. I love psychological films. Maggie Gylenhaul is terrific.
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This sounds really unusual. Maggie can really act too, so I will be on the lookout for this film.
Thanks, Pam.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I hope you find it, Pete. It’s on Netflix here. Yes, Maggie Gylenhaul is a fantastic actor. Here she gives a tour de force performance–her best, It think.
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Both your daughters sound awesome Pam. To pick Lee Van Cleef as a subject to draw proves that.
“She captured the hardness in his eyes and his bird of prey-like nostrils and septum exquisitely.”
He certainly has one of those faces and that is a perfect description if I ever I read one..
I’m there with the weeping with their creations too, I understand that. My daughter at 14 made a stop-motion video on her own, after her school work partner dropped out before they started. She did everything, it was such hard work and when she showed me I burst out crying, uncontrollable. So much so she started crying. We both standing weeping holding each other. I was so proud I couldn’t take it.
This is it. Still gets me tbh.
Hearing that your other daughter is great on debates is also amazing. I wish I could, I think it’s one of the hardest disciplines to master. I understand most things, I’m good at rational thought, listening and the new buzz word “critical thinking” but I can’t ever portray it in a real life situation. I too get picked up, all the time, by my daughter for saying the wrong thing and then I try to talk about it and we both hit a hurdle. Gen X to Gen Y, such different times. Your oldest has a proper gift. If she takes up being a debate coach, sounds like she should, then sign me up! 🙂
My son’s gift is he’s just too cool. Nothing seems to phase him. I’m like “Son if you ever want to talk about anything please always ask me”. “I’m alright Dad, honestly” he says with a smile. He’s always laughing through the night with his friends. He seems so grounded. I love them both so much.
Anyhow….. This film sounds great. A neat little independent film with a little twist in the tale I imagine. I hadn’t heard of it and will keep an eye out for it.
All the best
M
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What lovely sentiments, Mikey! So sweet of you. I LOVE the video. It’s amazing! The feeling it evokes is beautiful. No…it’s gorgeous…the gentleness…the hope…the kindness…and then, there’s the technical artistry. Wow!
The Lord has blessed us with good children. I don’t deserve it. I think of what I put my mother through. Skipping school…partying…getting into trouble with the law…just piddly stuff, but still…my husband was bad too. Oh well…
Yeah, I think you’d like The Kindergarten Teacher, because you appreciate the art of cinema. The acting….the character development…the photography, subtle but fitting, beautiful. If you do see it, let me know what you think.
–Pam
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I too was very bad! Never home, drinking and drugs. Bunked off school, graffiti “artist”, general all round rogue. My poor parents. Was dreading when my kids become my age, thought I’d reap what I sowed so to speak. I dodged a bullet, they were as good as gold. I learnt from my mistakes and mended the path I hope….. Good to see we both came out the other side with great well adjusted children.
Thank you for the kind words and evoking the memories with your great post.
I certainly will let you know if I do indeed see it. Thank you.
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Hi Pam, good to hear from you again! I hope all is well. I always enjoy your reviews!
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Thank you. I’m doing good. How are you?
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Ok. Have been in a bit of a tunnel lately but am determined to get through to the other end instead of turning back to avoid the dark. The tunnel is part of the journey, so it’s good but dark. Ever been there?
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Yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes I feel like I live in the tunnel. But my deal is–and I consider it a saving grace–I can always see the light. Sometimes it’s ever so dim…the tiniest ray…but it’s there. I’ve never been in complete darkness, but…I was going to say, I’ve never been in complete light either, but that’s not true. I have been, but only briefly. I’m talking about just a moment or two, but they were moments of complete clarity. Those moments and that tiny light is what keeps me going. Keep going. You’ll see it. I know you will.
–Pam
God’s Blessings,
Pam
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Thank you, Pam. I’m not in despair mode yet (I’ve been there before and this is not nearly that). Grace and peace to you…
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Sounds good Pam…Lisa sounds like she is a little on the creepy side or I could be reading it wrong. It sounds like something I would be interested in.
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I think it’s a very good movie…very psychologically driven. Yeah, Lisa devolves into creepiness, for sure.
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Thanks Pam…it’s on the list
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Have to add this to my watch list. Not familiar with it at all.
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Hey John. I just got back into town and I don’t check my comments while I’m away. Yes, I think you would enjoy The Kindergarten Teacher since you appreciate a slow burn psychological drama. Hope you are doing well.
–Pam
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