On the surface, Radical would seem to be too much of the same to be an entertaining film; a sentimental film about a hopeful, enthusiastic teacher that must overcome systemic and administrative obstacles to reach the hard scrabble students in their poor socioeconomic school and classroom. And while yes, this film is all of these things, the performance of lead actor Derbez and a script that takes a story we’ve seen onscreen numerous times before and pairs it with an engaging supportive cast complete with fantastic chemistry to make a film that is moving and inspiring. Radical transports us to 2011 when teacher Sergio Juarez Correa (Eugenio Derbez) arrives at Jose Urbina Lopez Elementary in Matamoros, Mexico. As a border town directly across from Brownsville, Texas with poor infrastructure and facilities and an environment rife with drug cartel violence the students at the school suffer from some of the worst academic scores in all of Mexico. Sergio works diligently to reach his new students however and help them overcome their challenges while facing professional ones of his own.
Watching Sergio’s determination to make a difference in these kids’ lives and embarking upon the ups and downs of his mission, including the very real and humanistic discouragement that he feels at certain points, makes for an immersive and empathetic experience that is engaging and keeps the audience invested in Radical’s outcome and the fate of its characters. Sergio employs outside of the box thinking and teaching styles to reach his students where they are while also employing empathetic treatment in understanding their circumstances and where they come from. It’s this heartfelt treatment, and resulting pushback from administrators, that speaks to viewers’ humanistic side and makes Radical a relatable film. We all wish that we could change a small part of our own world and do something impactful for those in need, particularly when it comes to children. Radical tells the story of someone doing so in a way that inspires the audience despite their familiarity with this form of story. Whether it’s the tragic story of Nico (Danilo Guardiola), Paloma (Jennifer Trejo) and her natural gifts that are fighting her familial circumstances, or a young girl with similar potential who falls through the cracks, Radical takes stories we have heard before but provides them with new weight that tugs at the heartstrings.
Additional credit for this must go to the performances of Derbez, Guardiola, and Trejo who build a believable rapport with one another as a caring teacher and students that fall in love with him and his care for their futures. The struggles that all three of their characters go through feel real not just because they parallel reality, but because of their ability to portray what it must feel like for a person to experience such hardship and obstacles. Radical is a heartfelt story with a great cast that overcomes its rote premise with a script that is both relatable and topical. A film worthy of everyone’s time.
Image: Pantelion Films
