JJ and Steve finish off the first half of 2020 with 2018’s The Kindergarten Teacher. This is an American remake of 2014’s The Kindergarten Teacher from Israel. Their discussion touches on the challenges of adapting an artistic film for different culture and a more mainstream audience.
There is no doubt that this is truly Maggie Gyllenhaall’s film. However, this pushes the story into an area that differs from the original. Changes to the plot, additional scenes with family members, and a minor change to the ending make this a distinctly different film. While it is a more accessible film it has lost many of the elements that JJ and Steve enjoyed and appreciated in the original.
Although they express their preferences, they provide enough of a comparison to make it easy for you to know which version of The Kindergarten Teacher you will want to add to your watchlist.
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Film Sundries
- Watch this film: Netflix
- Original theatrical trailer
- Original poster artwork
- Flickchart
- Letterboxd
