Radical
Radical
7.896%99%
In a Mexican border town plagued by neglect, corruption, and violence, a frustrated teacher tries an unorthodox new method to break through his students’ apathy and unlock their curiosity, their potential... and perhaps even their genius.
Kevin Ward reviewedJuly 3, 2025
Though it follows a pretty standard inspirational teacher drama template, Eugenio Derbez’s performance has enough charisma and charm to transform the overly familiar plot into a heartwarming crowd pleaser. Winner of the Festival Favorite Award at the 2023 Sundance and deservedly so as it’s probably one of my favorite dramas of the fest. It has a traumatic turn in the last act that feels rather out of place with the rest of the film. It is based on a true story though, so I can’t fault it too much for it’s inclusion if it in fact happened as depicted. Really enjoyable watch, though. The child actors gave impressive performances and really work to get you emotionally invested in the school. Jennifer Trejo’s Paloma in particular was delightful. Worth checking out.