[Sundance Hong Kong 2018 Review] The Kindergarten Teacher: The Obsession with Art

The 2018 Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong officially kicked off last week, and I've watched two films so far, one of which is The Kindergarten Teacher. I had heard beforehand that Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance in this film was outstanding, even her best to date, so I went in with high expectations.

After watching The Kindergarten Teacher, I became even more convinced of an observation I've held for a long time: people who love art or artists can be incredibly obsessive about it. I remember last year, when Meryl Streep delivered her Golden Globe acceptance speech, criticizing US President Donald Trump's immigration policy, she deliberately pointed out that sports like football and mixed martial arts are not art, leading some to criticize her for intentionally demeaning these sports. Beyond the distinction between art and non-art, some people also attach great importance to the difference between mainstream and non-mainstream art. For example, some independent film enthusiasts or filmmakers criticize mainstream cinema, especially the popular comic book adaptations of recent years. Even those who prefer non-mainstream art might be criticized for liking more popular works rather than lesser-known ones. Everyone is truly passionate about art, and the specific areas and degrees of their obsession vary. Lisa (Maggie Gyllenhaal) in the film is perhaps a more extreme example.

In the film, almost all our understanding of Lisa revolves around the element of art: she loves art, especially poetry, but she isn't a particularly talented poet. She constantly makes different attempts, such as taking poetry classes and sharing her work with her husband, hoping someone will appreciate her art. Besides creating herself, she also highly values the artistic cultivation of those around her, deeply wishing her daughter would spend more time on art (photography) instead of wasting time on parties and phones. Until one day, she discovers that Jimmy (Parker Sevak), a student in the kindergarten she teaches, possesses immense talent for poetry, and she becomes obsessively infatuated with him. Her obsession becomes so intense that she even gives him a phone so he can share his new works with her immediately; she even stops making out with her husband to quickly jot down Jimmy's poems. Lisa's infatuation with Jimmy grows increasingly exaggerated, eventually leading to the climax of the film's plot. The film is primarily a drama, with art and poetry as its themes, which sounds quite dull, and I'm not sure how to make this story sound interesting. However, the climax of the film is unexpectedly tense, making what was originally a bland story anything but.

Of course, the film doesn't feel dull or bland largely thanks to Maggie Gyllenhaal's brilliant performance. This film essentially revolves entirely around Lisa's character development and psychological changes. From her initially mundane life to the pride she feels reading Jimmy's poems, Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance remains incredibly nuanced. In her conversation with her mentor, when she realizes her mentor doesn't appreciate her work, we can fully feel her disappointment. Later, when she understands the meaning of Jimmy's poems, she discovers that on the one hand, she is inferior to her teaching assistant and not loved by Jimmy; at the same time, she sees Jimmy being appreciated by the world, while her own writing isn't considered art. This double blow completely shatters her, and Maggie Gyllenhaal's emotional outburst at this point is perfectly calibrated and deeply moving. In the final scene, although the script incorporates some humorous dialogue, her disappointment and breakdown truly broke my heart to watch.

I don't have much knowledge of literature and poetry, nor do I dare claim to have a keen artistic sense. However, one of the film's excellent qualities lies in the production team's selection of poetry for the film. In the movie, the poems we hear are mainly written by Jimmy, and perhaps one might not immediately grasp their beauty or artistic depth. But when we read the poems written by Lisa, we immediately see the difference between the two, understanding the clear superiority of one over the other. Even if we don't inherently appreciate poetry, the few poems selected for the film, combined with the performances of Maggie Gyllenhaal and Parker Sevak, are enough for us to witness how a seemingly meaningless collection of words can be transformed into a work of art.

We might disagree with Lisa's actions and find her foolish, but I believe everyone would agree with her views on society and art. The final scene of the film seems to confirm this point. In this film, we witness the birth of a genius, and at the same time, we can foresee how a genius might be stifled by society. Can the world accommodate such artists, and yet still accommodate this type of artwork? Readers who follow my articles know that I review both mainstream and non-mainstream works. Honestly, I generally prefer non-mainstream films and TV series, because I often experience more during the viewing process. In contrast, mainstream works offer more entertainment, which I believe is also why they become mainstream! In the real world, it's very common for general audiences to focus more on mainstream works. My only hope is that they will come to love this medium because of mainstream works, then try some non-mainstream works, and eventually find the works of art that resonate with them.