DISMISSED

US, 2018, 87 minutes, Colour.
Kent Osborne, Dylan Sprouse, Rae Gray, Alycia Delmore, Mitchell Edwards, Chris Bauer, Leslie Thurston, Matthew J. Evans.
Directed by Benjamin Arffman.

Dismissed is well worth looking at. It is a familiar story, though a regrettable one, but this one is well acted and well written.

Kent Osborne, a veteran of providing voices for many animated characters, is Mr Butler, an ordinary teacher at a high school, English literature, loving his work but not getting through to the students. He has some ambitions for tenure but has writer’s block as regards writing his application. He is seen teaching Othello as well as Crime and Punishment. He is married and has a regular home life.

Into his class comes Lucas, played with intensity and smouldering malice by Dylan Sprouse. Lucas seems to be the perfect gentleman, very well educated, deferential, showing something of his talent for his paper on Othello, critical of a Othello himself and siding with Iago. There are also discussions about the central character of Crime and Punishment, a loner and his moral status.

The teacher is also head of the chess club and Lucas defeats the leader, expecting to be the number one for the school team but he is not promoted. The teacher also gives him a lesser mark for his assignment.

Lucas resents being thwarted at any cost. It emerges that he has undermined the reputation of a teacher at a former school and had him dismissed. Mr Butler contacts the teacher and learns about Lucas and his malice. Lucas also injures his chess rival during an experiment in chemistry in the laboratory. Lucas also begins to undermine Mr Butler’s reputation, a failing marriage, encouraging one of the students to believe that Mr Butler is in love with her. When she is rebuffed, Lucas gives her advice but also kills her. However, he has always been interested in recording and photography and, in the search in his room, incriminating evidence is found.

The film is interesting in its portrayal of the power of a ruthless student and the seeming helplessness of an ordinary teacher – but who, here, uses some ingenuity and is able to defend himself.

1. The title? The school? Teacher and pupil? Pupil undermining teacher? Dismissal?

2. The American city, homes, the focus on school, classrooms, corridors, laboratories, principal’s office? The school campus? The tower? Diners and meetings? The musical score?

3. The English literature course, the focus on Othello, the character of the Iago and his sinister machinations? The references to Crime and Punishment and the morality of Raskolnikov? Audiences responding to the basic plot and characters while not knowing anything about the literary references?

4. Mr Butler, and ordinary teacher, dedicated, enthusiastic, the notes on the whiteboard, the lack of enthusiasm of the students? The discussions about Othello, Iago? The assignments? Discussions about Crime and punishment? Mr Butler and his degree at University, his plan for a promotion, writer’s block in writing the letter of application? His relationship with his wife? An ordinary teacher who loved his work and had ambitions?

5. The arrival of Lucas? Age, manner? Perfectly polite? Answering questions? His lengthy paper? The discussions about Shakespeare, Lucas’s dislike of Othello, identifying with Iago? Mr Butler and his enthusiasm for Lucas, reading the paper, the limited mark? Lucas and his being offended? Malicious?

6. The chess club, Mr Butler in charge, Lucas ingratiating himself, playing with the leading student, suddenly beating him, not being made the leader of the team? The laboratory, the experiment, the warnings, Lucas and the chemical and the boy being injured?

7. Lucas and his wanting revenge on Mr Butler, his dismissal? Using Becca, her enthusiasm, attraction to Lucas, his telling her that Mr Butler was in love with her, encouraging her, her going to the classroom, the videotape, Mr Butler urging her away, her bewilderment, talking with Lucas, his filming her at the top of the building, his killing her?

8. The principal, her enthusiasm for Lucas, not giving enough attention to Mr Butler, Becca’s death, the detective, Mr Butler under suspicion, his being dismissed? Not confiding in his wife?

9. Mr Butler writing his application, posting it, his being called in, his application being rejected, read out, his harsh comments and boasting about himself – all written by Lucas? Mr Butler unable to defend himself?

10. The story of Lucas’s father, changing towns, his work, Mr Butler’s visit, the rejection, his being called by another name? Mr Butler’s research, contacting the teacher, their meeting, the teacher and his drinking, the grade for Lucas, Lucas’s machinations to get rid of him?

11. Mr Butler going to the house, Lucas’s father and his regrets, the searching of the room, the finding of the video?

12. Lucas, going to the classroom, the confrontation with Mr Butler, Mr Butler’s anger, trying to choke Lucas, his being pulled off by the detective? Lucas and his arrest? The evidence of the videotapes?

13. Lucas arrested? Mr Butler and reconciliation with his wife who had doubted him?

14. A film about the real difficulties for teachers and plots against them by students?