The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

London Film Festival 2018

School’s Out (L’heure de la sortie)

London Film Festival 2018: School’s Out (L’heure de la sortie) | Review
1 October 2018
Michael Higgs
Avatar
Michael Higgs
1 October 2018
Public screenings
18th October 2018 8.45pm at Prince Charles Cinema
19th October 2018 3.15pm at odeontcr: Odeon Tottenham Court Road

Movie and show review

Michael Higgs

School's Out (L'heure de la sortie)

★★★★★

Special event

Sébastien Marnier’s L’heure De La Sortie (School’s Out) is a suspenseful psychological thriller that will get right under the skin. With some moments of brilliance and a superb idea, it almost becomes a smashing success – but a few unfortunate flaws make it miss the mark.

Substitute teacher Pierre Hoffman (Laurent Lafitte) is tasked with teaching a group of genius students after their former teacher unexpectedly leaps to his death from a top-floor classroom window. Six students, with a chilly disregard of their late educator’s suicide, give Hoffman a cold welcome, constantly questioning his abilities and intelligence. Hoffman becomes obsessed with uncovering the reason behind their curious sociopathic behaviour. Are they in shock from the suicide? Are they resentful for being bullied by their fellow students? Or are they just generally upset at the horrors of the world?

With a tension-laden sound design and effective build-up including several red herrings successfully leading the audience astray, the feature never fails to be interesting and engaging. While the pacing is good for the most part, a few moments appear slightly dragged out. The shots are generally done well, always presented from interesting angles without becoming too ambitious.

The cast is overall excellent, with Lafitte capturing his complex character superbly well. As the plot thickens, most of his choices are believable and consistently well executed. The teenage actors, too, do a lovely job of playing creepy students – especially Luàna Bajrami as the jaded Apolline.

Sadly, the symbolism is handed too heavily. Hoffman is working on a dissertation about Kafka, just to make sure we realise the director was going for a Kafkaesque tone. To make matters worse, as the protagonist grows more desperate, his flat becomes increasingly infested with cockroaches, making the reference about as subtle as a brick thrown through a window with an attached note that reads “Kafka is here!”. Furthermore, a couple of the occurrences are borderline unbelievable, ripping the viewer out of the otherwise credible build-up.

L’heure De La Sortie could have been a terrific thriller. It almost is, featuring a clever plotline and artful directing, making it an exceedingly engaging experience for the most part. The flaws just mar it too much to make it excellent. Still perfect for an entertaining, suspense-laden evening – especially if you like Kafka.

★★★★★

Michael Higgs

School’s Out (L’heure de la sortie) does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews and interviews from our London Film Festival 2018 coverage here.

For further information about the festival visit the official BFI website here.

Watch the trailer for School’s Out (L’heure de la sortie) here:

Related ItemsLFFlondon film festivalreview

More in Film festivals

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.

★★★★★
Matthew McMillan
Read More

“I think I’m kind of a drug addict for image and sound coming together! I’m always putting images to sound and getting high”: An interview with Hlynur Pálmason, director of Godland

Selina Sondermann
Read More

Watcher

★★★★★
Matthew McMillan
Read More

Resurrection

★★★★★
Matthew McMillan
Read More

Sharp Stick

★★★★★
Matthew McMillan
Read More

Leyla’s Brothers: An interview with Saeed Roustayi

Selina Sondermann
Read More

Plan 75: An interview with director Chie Hayakawa

Selina Sondermann
Read More

Falcon Lake: An interview with director Charlotte Le Bon

Selina Sondermann
Read More

“How to make a genuine portrait of life”: An interview with the stars of Leila’s Brothers

Selina Sondermann
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

Michael Higgs

School's Out (L'heure de la sortie)

★★★★★

Special event

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Ed Sheeran at Wembley Stadium
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Eagles bring a nostalgia-laden evening to the BST Festival in Hyde Park
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Africa Fashion at the V&A
    ★★★★★
    Art
  • “He used to spit at the audience, roll on the ground, he did, in fact, hump that plastic dog – he was the original punk rocker”: Baz Luhrman, Tom Hanks, Austin Butler, Olivia DeJonge and Alton Mason on Elvis
    Cinema & Tv
  • The Princess
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Terminal List
    ★★★★★
    amazon
  • Baymax!
    ★★★★★
    disney
  • St Vincent at the Hammersmith Apollo
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • St Vincent at the Hammersmith Apollo
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Netflix Walking Tour: From Bridgerton to The Crown, a free walking tour through the filming locations
    Cinema & Tv
  • Africa Fashion at the V&A
    ★★★★★
    Art
  • Minions: The Rise of Gru
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Zandra Rhodes spring/summer 2019 collection presentation | LFW
London Film Festival 2018: Wildlife | Review