Monsieur Lazhar
Bachir Lazhar, an Algerian immigrant, is hired to replace an elementary school teacher who died tragically. While the class goes through a long healing process, nobody in the school is aware of Bachir's painful former life; nor that he is at risk of being deported at any moment. Adapted from Evelyne de la Cheneliere's play, Bachir Lazhar depicts the encounter between two distant worlds and the power of self-expression. Using great sensitivity and humor, Philippe Falardeau follows a humble man who is ready to transcend his own loss in order to accompany children beyond the silence and taboo of death.
The film earned $6.6M at the global box office.
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 30 wins & 14 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Monsieur Lazhar (2011) exhibits deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Philippe Falardeau's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 34 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.8, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Alice discovers her teacher Martine Lachance's body hanging in the classroom. The ordinary world of this Montreal elementary school is shattered by suicide and trauma.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Bachir Lazhar, an Algerian immigrant, offers to replace the deceased teacher. The principal, desperate for a replacement, hires him despite questions about his credentials and unconventional approach.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
At 47 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Bachir's past is revealed: his wife and two children were killed in an arson attack in Algeria by Islamic extremists. He is not an experienced teacher but a former restaurant owner seeking asylum and escape from his own trauma. The stakes deepen - he needs this job to stay in Canada and survive emotionally., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 71 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Bachir learns he will lose his position due to credential issues and institutional pressure. Simon's emotional crisis reaches its peak, revealing the depth of his unresolved trauma. Bachir faces losing both his purpose and his chance to help these children heal - a "death" of his new life in Canada., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 76 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Bachir's final days at the school. He says goodbye to students and colleagues. The hug incident solidifies his departure but also represents authentic emotional resolution. Students have learned and grown. Bachir prepares to face his uncertain future with dignity., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Monsieur Lazhar's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Monsieur Lazhar against these established plot points, we can identify how Philippe Falardeau utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Monsieur Lazhar within the comedy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Alice discovers her teacher Martine Lachance's body hanging in the classroom. The ordinary world of this Montreal elementary school is shattered by suicide and trauma.
Theme
The principal discusses the need to move forward and return to normal, stating "We must protect the children." This establishes the central thematic tension between institutional protocols and genuine human emotional needs.
Worldbuilding
The traumatized classroom struggles with grief. We meet the students - particularly Alice and Simon who are deeply affected. The school implements grief counseling and strict new protocols about teacher-student boundaries. Bachir Lazhar appears at the school.
Disruption
Bachir Lazhar, an Algerian immigrant, offers to replace the deceased teacher. The principal, desperate for a replacement, hires him despite questions about his credentials and unconventional approach.
Resistance
Bachir prepares to take on the class. He learns the strict rules: no physical contact with students, no private conversations. He meets fellow teachers including Claire. Bachir navigates the tension between his traditional teaching philosophy and modern Canadian educational protocols.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
Bachir teaches using unconventional methods - Balzac, proper grammar, respect for literature. Students gradually respond. We see glimpses of Bachir's personal life: his immigration hearings, sparse apartment, isolation. Simon acts out. Bachir connects with Claire. The premise: can traditional teaching and human warmth help children process trauma?
Midpoint
Bachir's past is revealed: his wife and two children were killed in an arson attack in Algeria by Islamic extremists. He is not an experienced teacher but a former restaurant owner seeking asylum and escape from his own trauma. The stakes deepen - he needs this job to stay in Canada and survive emotionally.
Opposition
Pressure mounts from multiple directions: school administration scrutinizes Bachir's credentials and methods; Simon's behavior worsens as his guilt about Martine intensifies; Bachir's asylum case faces bureaucratic obstacles; the revelation emerges that Simon wrote a note to Martine before her death, deepening his guilt.
Collapse
Bachir learns he will lose his position due to credential issues and institutional pressure. Simon's emotional crisis reaches its peak, revealing the depth of his unresolved trauma. Bachir faces losing both his purpose and his chance to help these children heal - a "death" of his new life in Canada.
Crisis
Bachir contemplates his failure to save these children just as he couldn't save his own family. The students process the impending loss of another teacher. The institutional approach has failed to provide real healing. Everyone sits in darkness with unresolved grief.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Bachir's final days at the school. He says goodbye to students and colleagues. The hug incident solidifies his departure but also represents authentic emotional resolution. Students have learned and grown. Bachir prepares to face his uncertain future with dignity.