Here at FandomWire, we review the film Radical, which is spoiler-free.
We live in a cynical world, but Radical may be the cure for that outlook. It’s hard not to be swept up in Christopher Zalla’s overwhelming, heartwarming narrative. Nor is there anything inherently wrong with making or seeking a feel-good film.
In fact, we should encourage, welcome, and embrace stories that inspire. Even more so when they involve socioeconomic issues and themes in disadvantaged communities. Like poverty, unemployment, low incomes, and food insecurity.
Yet, something about Eugenio Derbez’s vehicle feels short on facts and heavy on shortcuts. However, once you let the story wash over and take in the plight of these sixth-grade students, you cannot help but stand up and cheer.
Radical Plot Summary and Review
Radical is based on the 2013 Wired article “A Radical Way of Unleashing a Generation of Geniuses” by Joshua Davis. The source material outlines a group of students in Mexico who have an ominous outlook on their futures. If you grow up in Matamoros, most drop out or end up in local gangs.
Those rules even apply to the sixth graders at Jose Urbina Lopez Elementary. The students have no direction or motivation because the teachers want to teach to the test to qualify for bonuses and funding. The school encyclopedias are 40 years old, and they’re modern amenities, like a computer lab.
That’s all about to change when Sergio Juarez (Derbez) rocks the boat. Juarez brings an unorthodox teaching style that engages the children’s interests. And most importantly, at their own pace. We are talking about ethics, philosophy, and morality. Including the writings of John Stuart Mill. Sergio concludes one student, Paloma (Jennifer Trejo), is a “certified genius.”
Eugenio Derbez is brilliant as Sergio Correa in the film Radical
Christopher Zallaover’s script outlines the provocative nature of Sergio’s teachings, where no subject is off limits. The key to selling the story is the performance of Derbez. His Sergio creates a therapeutic alliance with his students by never acting shocked or surprised at their questions.
In the film’s best scene, in front of a school administrator, Sergio even discusses when a student brings up abortion. He listens, never making the child feel ashamed of their interests. Sergio then engages the students who take the subject and discuss the moral debate over freedom of choice and the right to life.
You cannot help but have your heart swell as Derbez inspires students by fanning the flames of their dreams, talents, and confidence. The fact of the matter is that these children are living their lives as adults. There’s nothing they haven’t seen or are experiencing that books cannot enlighten them on their own harsh realities.
Is Radical Worth Watching?
Radical is worth watching for its inspirational true story and the best turn of Eugenio Derbez’s career. You should be warned that the film does go dark. I would compare some of the issues the children go through with season four of The Wire, which shines a light on the resource-limited education system and barriers faced.
Those include gang violence, being forced to drop out of school to raise siblings, and child labor. Those issues tend to fall into standard movie tropes. Even though the film is fact-based, liberties are taken that morph into predictable plot points. Still, Radical is too engaging to ignore, and the rousing story clearly has more pros than cons.
This is the best performance of Derbez’s career in a filmography that focuses on being a role model for youth (CODA and How to Be a Latin Lover). We should embrace Radical’s humanistic approach, which focuses on overriding negative stereotypes and outlooks. The result is a story that’s beautifully moving.
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