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| Richard E. Grant in "The Lesson" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
Having spent a lot of free time throughout my life diving into books and movies with equal zeal has made films about writing near impossible to resist. With movies like “Misery,” “Capote,” “Stranger Than Fiction,” and “The End of the Tour,” to name a few, seeing an author dedicate their time to putting pen to paper is always fascinating to see, every bit as much as it is to see how literature can shape a person, whether they be writer, reader, or both.
The latest of such movies to do this is the feature-film debut of director Alice Troughton for her thriller, “The Lesson,” which offers a pressure-cooker scenario of an admirer and his idol.
In England, Liam Sommers (Dylan McCormack) is an English Literature tutor and aspiring novelist. One day, he’s given the opportunity to live at the home of one of his favorite authors, J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant), and his wife, Hélène (Julie Delpy), to instruct their Oxford-candidate son, Bertie (Stephen McMillan). However, as Liam’s time at the home goes on, he learns that the Sinclairs harbor some troubling secrets that put the futures of the four of them at risk.
McCormack gives a wonderful performance as someone who has a passion for what he does. In his first few scenes, you can really sense the love of literature that Liam has as he recites lines of poetry and tries to help Bertie. It’s later on when McCormack shows Liam’s sense of cunning that he draws us even further into his character’s journey and displays another side of his character’s strong intellect as he tries to figure out what the Sinclairs are hiding from him.
Grant is outstanding as the posh, poisonous patriarch of the family who expects nothing less that his family live up to his expectations. For every scene he’s in, you experience a cloud of disapproval pervade the space as he looks on/talks with distaste and passive-aggressiveness. You tense up as he unleashes his psychological cruelty towards those around him, leaving you aghast at how willingly he puts his family through his mental torment.
Delpy turns in understated, yet impactful work as Hélène, a character who’s more than she seems. Delpy brings out an enigmatic quality of Hélène that has us keep thinking about her, slowly opening up to us as we get further into the film’s mystery.
McMillan is heartbreaking as Bertie, who has heavy expectations placed on him by his parents, especially his father. McMillan brings across the suffocation that he feels around his home, always seeming on edge when his father’s around. However, as the film goes on, McMillan shows his character’s hidden layers to emotional effect.
Although the screenplay by Alex MacKeith could’ve done without the prologue, given that it hints at what’s going to happen later on, the story is nevertheless an engaging view of a never-meet-your-heroes narrative. He offers an enticing mystery that invites us into this world of a successful author, bringing two characters together who share a love of words that slowly becomes something unsettling. For the most part, MacKeith’s story takes place at the Sinclairs’ estate, and his story utilizes the one setting to an impactful degree. On the inside, his story brings us through the many rooms of the house and all of its artistic, upscale flourishing. Meanwhile, other scenes take us through the outside of the house, which employs beautiful landscaping. For both areas of the estate, MacKeith injects some rich symbolism that adds depth to the characters and the situation at hand, always keeping your mind going as you wonder what certain motifs mean in the greater context of the story. With just four main characters populating that setting, MacKeith offers plenty of material for each of them to have us ponder as to which paths they’ll take in this potentially destructive grouping.
As a director, Troughton constructs tension throughout as Liam gets to know the family. She uses the spaciousness of the grounds and house to emphasize the isolation and coldness that permeate the family and reach across to Liam. Whether it be the apprehensive exchanges at the dinner table, or the sense of detachment amongst everyone when they’re in separate quarters of the house, Troughton’s able to convey the emotional complications of characters, whether it be how they act towards each other, or how they conduct themselves when they’re off on their own.
With wonderful performances, some understated thrills, and an unsettling story, this is a lesson that’ll have your attention.
Grade: A-
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