Radical: NZIFF Review 

Director: Christopher Zalla

The very definition of a crowd-pleaser but a story that's been told many a time before, Mexican film Radical feels like it wants to be the next Dead Poet's Society or Dangerous Minds.

But yet, it can't escape any of its familiar trappings and tropes as it follows Eugenio Derbez's off-the-wall teacher as he tries to inspire the kids in Matamoros, one of Mexico's bleakest schools and towns.

Littered with hints of poverty and crime, Zalla's movie shies away from some of the bleaker edges in favour of following the children and their lives, as well as their interactions with the teacher and his interactions with an initially reticent headmaster.

Whether it's the genius who lives in abject poverty aside a trash heap, forced to hide her books and dreams away from her ailing father or the child interested in philosophy but trapped by the need to raise her siblings, Zalla can't help but churn out stereotypes from the village albeit with a sympathetic eye.

The drama's ultimately predictable and as mentioned, has been done many times before, but over the course of two hours, you'll likely be surprised how much you come to care for proceedings, even though you know tragedy lurks just over the horizon.

The child actors impress throughout - never once do they overplay their hand, giving all of their characters the grim reality they find themselves in, but refusing to milk it for mawkishness.

The problem with Radical is that it shies away from its darker moments, preferring to go for more would-be inspirational comedic fare from its lead actor Derbez. He's watchable enough thanks to amiable charisma and there's a depth of feeling that radiates from his earnest performance.

But as one of the child genius emotes late in the film "We don't get to escape" as the camera lingers over the abject poverty she finds herself in, the film squanders any chance of darker fare that's based in a reality in favour of predictable crowd-pleasing fare that's well made, but ultimately, feels unfortunately a little emotionally hollow.