Archi Sengupta LeisureByte.com Jul 8, 2024 2.5/5

Diego Lerman’s film fails to make an impact with the crime/thriller aspects of it, but as a drama film in the classroom, I quite enjoyed it.

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Edward Porter Sunday Times (UK) Mar 2, 2023 3/5

... Persuasive and watchable, but rather nondescript.

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Carlos Bonfil La Jornada Feb 24, 2023

Although Lerman's direction is efficient and vigorous, various subplots do not fully come to fruition, leaving loose ends for some ultimately irrelevant sentimental matters. [Full review in Spanish]

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Rene Sanchez Cine Sin Fronteras Feb 23, 2023 3/4

A sincere and empathetic story about the importance of education and the constant fight to prevent it from being a privilege for just a few. [Full Review in Spanish]

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Brian Costello Common Sense Media Feb 15, 2023 3/5

Predictably enough, this is met with boredom and active disinterest, but there's a lot that the movie gets right; namely, that when it's done right, the teacher learns as much as the students.

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Alfonso Flores-Durón y Martínez En Filme Jan 31, 2023 4/5

Working with seasoned actors supported by non-professional adolescents, the director combines the personal with the communal and balances the incisive social commentary with the existential conflict of a middle-aged man... [Full review in Spanish]

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Jesús Jara Godoy Cinencuentro Jan 28, 2023

... One of those films that belongs to the students and professor movie sub-genre. Nonetheless, here, the image, the music, the camera moves, and the rhythm, amongst other elements, make this film commendable. [Full review in Spanish]

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Rich Cline Shadows on the Wall Jan 24, 2023 3.5/5

The plot's wrinkles and connections feel more than a little predictable and tidy, but director Diego Lerman keeps the tone grounded and authentic, which makes it riveting.

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Graham Fuller The Arts Desk Jan 23, 2023 4/5

Much of The Substitute’s vivid realism and immediacy as a moment-to-moment experience owes to the Polish cinematographer Wojciech Staron’s darting hand-held cinematography.

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Erick Estrada Cinegarage Jan 21, 2023

During insistent and obvious moments, The Substitute seems to ignore developing any of the themes it proposes. [Full review in Spanish]

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Andy Lea Daily Express (UK) Jan 20, 2023 4/5

While we cover familiar territory, this gritty, sharply written Argentinian drama takes us on some very interesting detours.

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Jennie Kermode Eye for Film Jan 20, 2023 4/5

It’s Lerman’s shooting style which makes the biggest impression.

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Saskia Lloyd Gaiger Little White Lies Jan 19, 2023 3/5

Intriguing, but would work better if the viewer was slightly less confused than Lucio.

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian Jan 17, 2023 2/5

A rather tiring school day.

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Juan Pando Fotogramas Jan 13, 2023 3/5

The originality of Lerman's film lies in approaching the story of a novice teacher in a violent district from an Ibero-American perspective, which has seldom treated the subject matter. [Full review in Spanish]

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Javier Ocaña El Pais (Spain) Jan 13, 2023

Lerman has composed a film that's simultaneously popular and arthouse. [Full review in Spanish]

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Janire Zurbano Cinemanía (Spain) Jan 9, 2023 4/5

The substitute embraces from the beginning the stigmas of teacher cinema... therein lies its value, finding its own suggestive identity despite repeating conventions. [Full review in Spanish]

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Paula Vázquez Prieto La Nación (Argentina) Oct 20, 2022 4/5

Like his protagonist, Lerman looks at this world with a genuine desire of belonging and invites the audience along. [Full review in Spanish]

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Pablo O. Scholz Clarín Oct 20, 2022 4/4

Lerman and co-writers María Meira and Luciana De Mello build tension steadily. And as the end nears, we watch with sweaty palms. [Full review in Spanish]

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Elsa Fernández-Santos El Pais (Spain) Oct 18, 2022

A lost man finds with contagious emotion the eternal rewards of pedagogics. [Full review in Spanish]

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