MOVIE - THE EMPEROR'S CLUB - Review Rating $$$$$ $$$
STARRING - Kevin Kline, Emile Hirsch, Joel Gretsch, Embeth Davidtz, Patrick Dempsey, Rob Morrow, Steven Culp, Paul Franklin Dano, Edward Herrmann, Rahul Khanna, Rishi Mehta, Roger Rees & Harris Yulin.
Directed By: Michael Hoffman (Soapdish, One Fine Day)
Based upon the short story, "The Palace Thief", by Ethan Canin.
The story of a dedicated teacher, at a private boy's school, trying to inspire and mold the leaders of the future.
The most daunting challenge a film like The Emperor's Club faces is making its subject matter riveting. While learning can sometimes be fun, and is often intellectually intriguing, it's not easy to convincingly convey that fact on the big screen. The Emperor's Club succeeds admirably in this department. You actually get caught up in the pivotal competition amongst the students to be crowned "Mr. Julius Caesar".
I've always liked Kline, who has had a bit of an up and down career. Occasionally he's a bit over the top but here he's right on target in his portrayal of a caring, if stodgy, professorial type who has dedicated his life to teaching.
The focus of the film, is Kline's attempt to reign in an unfocused and disruptive young charge (Cedrick Bell), who is doing everything not to achieve his potential. The remainder of the film becomes a debate over whether or not one's personality, and for that matter future, is malleable and subject to change or whether it is immutable and cast in stone. Its an interesting debate and the film clearly takes a position on whether or not we can alter our essential nature.
This is The Emperor's Club one weakness. Without giving anything away the film only truly focuses on the moral weakness of one of its characters. It essentially gives Kline's character a free ride and excuses his moral lapses in the name of all the good he has done for others. However, his lack of moral courage ultimately allows a morally bereft character to succeed where he otherwise shouldn't and affect the lives of countless others.
Kline's moral weakness, from my perspective, actually becomes more significant, than that of the film's villain. One is tempted to make the connection between Cedrick Bell and George Bush, another lackluster student, who graduated from the best schools and achieved the ultimate prize. The viewer is left to speculate how history may have been changed, in both the film and real life, if the Kline's of the world had the courage of their convictions and weren't afraid to stand behind them regardless of the personal costs.
That being said, The Emperor's Club still rates an "A" for effort.
Alternative Reviews:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/wkp-news-emperor22f.html
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheEmperorsClub-1116124/reviews.php
Official Website:
http://www.theemperorsclub.com/
MY TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2002 LIST
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2003
David Schwartz.
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8/9/03; 11:06:36 PM.
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