A hit in its native France, this misty-eyed period drama makes for efficient entertainment without striking a single original note. A remake of A Cage Of Nightingales (1945), it sees kindly teacher Clément Mathieu (Jugnot) forming a choir in a harsh boys' boarding school where music works its magic on all manner of problems, from boredom to bullying.
Naturally, there's a stern headmaster with a predilection for harsh punishments on hand to disapprove, and a good number of adorable-looking little boys, one of whom obligingly has both a beautiful voice and a beautiful mother. There's little interest in probing characterisation, but the plot progress is steady and the performances likeable. This uses a broad brush, but it paints