Stealing School

Stealing School is a 2019 Canadian film that dissects the modern education system through the lens of humor and drama. This thought-provoking film by director Li Dong, starring Celine Tsai, Jonathan Keltz and Mpho Koaho, offers a scalpel-sharp analysis on the paths that the new generation navigates and the system determined to shape or, arguably, control them.

Set in the tense landscapes of the academia, the film follows tech prodigy April Chen, a computer science student at a prestigious university, played by Celine Tsai. April is getting ready to cash in on a lucrative job in Silicon Valley, preparing for a future filled with possibilities. However, a week before graduation, she finds herself accused of plagiarism, threatening to disrupt not only her graduation but also her future prospects.

The charges are brought against her by an academic elitist, teaching assistant Keith, brought to life by Jonathan Keltz, who is determined to maintain the standards of the educational institution he holds in high regard. The movie races through a tense week, unfolding as an academic judgement day for April. Much of the story spirals around a clandestine trial held by the university to cope with such matters, elucidating the systematic biases and prejudices embedded within existing educational frameworks.

Mpho Koaho portrays the character of Micah, a member of the examining committee with well-placed cynicism about the whole process, adding deeper layers to the film's narrative arc.

Stealing School is not your conventional courtroom drama. The movie translates the audience into a unique realm of academic trial, aiming to judge whether a student is guilty of intellectual theft. It’s this trial that forms the heart of the plot, where the entire spectrum of the education hierarchy becomes a battleground. Various faculty members, each with their own interpretation of academic justice, continually clash, reflecting the multiple conflicts inherent in academia.

Shot entirely in Toronto, the film offers a deep dive into the universe of academia and the integral players within this world. The telling dynamic between opportunistic students, stern professors, enabling administrators and tense academics is fascinatingly etched out.

Stealing School, however, isn’t just about a trial or an alleged violation of academic propriety. Rather, it’s a satire on the bureaucracy of educational institutions, the corruption within, and how these systemically affect students. The film takes a hard look at the supposed gatekeepers of knowledge and integrity, tacitly questioning if the new generation is actually being educated or merely funneled through a system with questionable values and dated norms.

Celine Tsai shines in her performance as April Chen, maintaining a calm, composed facade while simultaneously dealing with the potential shattering of her dreams. Jonathan Keltz delivers a compelling performance as a gatekeeper of academia, rigidly clinging onto ideals that may be more about power than about learning.

Through the memorable performances of a seasoned cast, elaborate dialogues, and artful direction, the film offers an unblinking look at the stark climates within the education system, unraveling the stakes involved and the manipulations at play.

It’s the nuances of the storytelling, the muted yet moving performances of the cast, and the poignant commentary on academia that sets Stealing School apart. It’s the drama of the classroom, not the courtroom, involving young dreams, rigid systems, and the dynamics of power that make this film a must-watch.

In its entirety, Stealing School seeks to intellectually provoke discussions about prevalent core issues in academia –from bias and corruption to elitism and disenfranchisement— and how they intersect with suppositions of power, merit and justice.

Director Li Dong has crafted a narrative that fuses an undercurrent of biting satire with overtones of grave realism on the contemporary education system. The film encompases themes such as inclusion, racial tensions, and gender bias, rooting its foundations in a comedic-drama that highlights the overall society’s microcosmic reproduction within the educational system.

Stealing School is a contemporary academic tale that deftly maneuvers through systemic critique, layered emotion, and witty narrative engagement. As such, it's a movie that doesn't just aim to entertain but also open dialogue about some pressing questions that revolve around modern education and its embedded complexities.