Klass (2007)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Ilmar Raag

Writer:

Ilmar Raag (writer)

Release Date:

16 March 2007 (Estonia)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An average guy of an Estonian high-school decides to defend his bullied classmate. This starts war between him and the informal leader of the class. As teenagers' honour is a touchy thing, everything ends in bloodshed.

Plot Keywords:

High School | School | School Shooting | Bully | School Violence

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Vallo Kirs	...	Kaspar
Pärt Uusberg	...	Joosep
Lauri Pedaja	...	Anders
Paula Solvak	...	Thea
Mikk Mägi	...	Paul
Riina Ries	...	Riina
Joonas Paas	...	Toomas
Kadi Metsla	...	Kati
Triin Tenso	...	Kerli
Virgo Ernits	...	Tiit
Karl Sakrits	...	Olav
Liina Joonas
Saara Kadak
Kaspar Kannelmäe
Brita Kikas

Also Known As:

The Class (International: English title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

Estonia

Language:

Estonian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Sweden:15 | Germany:16 (f)

Company:

Amrion

Trivia:

A sequel series has been announced. The pilot episode is due to air in the autumn of 2009.

Goofs:

Continuity: Kaspar cut off the mark on his jacket on the fourth day, but on the sixth day in the beach scene his mark is still on the jacket.

Quotes:

Kaspar: I shot one of the girls from eight grade.
Joosep: I told you not to shoot from a distance.

Horrifying experience

I've just finished watching this Estonian drama, and even though I've been warned about what I should expect, I never imagined what awaits for me. Believe me, I'm not a person who can be easily shocked - after hundreds and hundreds of movies I didn't think that something could bring me to this mental condition, but I'm sitting here, in front of monitor; my hand are shaking a little and I'm filled with so much rage and despair that I wanna cry. First of all, I should mention that I, myself, experienced something similar in my school years. Though, not to this extent, of course. Undoubtedly this is partly the reason why I feel like this. I recollect things that happened to myself and when I think about what could have've happened if some people from my past stepped just a little further in what they've been doing - it just makes me shiver. All words, reactions and events are so shockingly colourable that it's almost feels like you're inside characters' minds. Indifferent adults so messed up by life (be it cruel post-Soviet reality or personal issues) that it seems like they're living in some world of their own; and kids that desperately trying to understand what is going on around them - without hope and any help from anyone around. I've seen it all be my own eyes: mindless faces that don't understand you at all. I've heard all the words - sickening clichés that only make you feel worse. Sometimes the pressure is just to high and you brake up no matter how strong you are. Of course, there were other pretty frank movies concerning this matter - Larry Clarks' Kids - raw and passionate - or Gus Van Sant's Elephant - plain and intentionally protocolistyc - just to name a few. But none, none was so close to describe a reality of this kind of situation - Klass takes you so deeply in the heart of youth's desperation that it seems like you won't be able to see a daylight again.