Film Review: The Lesson (2023)
Alice Troughton’s The Lesson is a slow-burn, smart thriller to watch.
Film: The Lesson. Year: 2023. Genre: Thriller. Rating: R. Director: Alice Troughton
Liam Sommers (Daryl McCormack) just wants to learn from his literary idol, J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant). He’s writing his first novel and, with his favourite author’s guidance, dreams of entering the spotlight of literary glory. However, nothing’s that easy when your favourite author turns out to be a rude, disassociated, narcissistic manipulator who’s harbouring a terrible secret.
On the surface, this film’s plot may seem run of the mill. One would think that a story so overdone, and populated with characters we’ve met before, would offer little originality. However, The Lesson finds its synergy with an ensemble cast, a fresh crew, a surprisingly engaging narrative, and compelling characters whose allegiances shift as the plot progresses, saving it from turning wilted and stale.
“Good writers borrow, great writers steal.”
These are the words that J.M. Sinclair peddles to everyone who’ll listen, including TV interviewers and Liam himself several times throughout the film. In reality, they’re taken straight from T.S Elliot, and they provide this literary thriller with its core theme of originality that builds upon virtually every scene so effectively.
When Liam first arrives at Sinclair’s estate, he’s so certain that he’ll be taken under the revered author’s wing that it’s almost admirable. From the outset, we suspect that he’s less inclined to do the work he’s agreed to; instead, he’s set on getting some alone time with his unofficial mentor. Liam idolises Sinclair so much that he even based his doctoral thesis at university on Sinclair’s books. He tours the expansive, well-trimmed grounds with his chest and chin held high. He roams the country house with stares that linger upon every family photo with intrigue and lust. And he wanders into rooms which serve as the writer’s private workspace as if he’s looking at his own future, the curve of a smile always on his lips. At once, he’s an intruder, but simultaneously, it feels as if he’s also right at home.
To Liam’s credit, however, tutoring Bertie Sinclair (Stephen McMillan) is perhaps a task that even the most experienced mentors would find too challenging to keep up longer than two days at most. The Sinclairs have employed him to help Bertie study to get into a prestigious school. His father’s approval is the most important thing in the world. His elder brother having died tragically years before, Bertie is the only heir to the Sinclair legacy, and he exhibits the pedantic air of a know-it-all rather than boy genius. He interrupts Liam’s efforts to teach him about Shakespeare, suggesting that his new tutor do something more productive with his time instead, like tour the grounds, read in the sun, or take too many smoke breaks in the expansive garden. He dismisses Liam’s lesson plans entirely. He’s more focussed on proving that he’s capable of getting into the school by himself than actually learning something. His mother Hélène Sinclair (Julie Delpy) is more of a mystery in the family. It’s clear that she wants what’s best for her family, but we suspect that there’s something menacing beneath her stern exterior. As J.M. Sinclair, Richard E. Grant injects charisma and intensity that it’s hard for us not to stay engaged by his presence on screen. As with most of his previous roles, he’s always able to infuse his characters with an impressive mix of authenticity, dry humour, and cunning, leaving us feeling more satisfied than disappointed.
So far, every character has this commonality of being in serious denial about their talents and how the world perceives them. When Liam enters their lives, the family are on the brink of crumbling under the expectations that the patriarch has amassed during his ultra-successful literary career. This is just one of the more admirable qualities in the writing and filming. Soon it becomes clear that these characters all have something to learn, and those who deny the lesson will surely suffer.
Debut feature-film director, Alice Troughton, and screenwriter, Alex MacKeith, flawlessly harmonise their shot choices and well-paced script, contributing to subtle symbols that aid successfully executed themes. As Liam investigates into the mysterious tragedy that seems to be at the root of Sinclair’s literary success — the death of the eldest son, who drowned in the family lake on the estate — the manor’s façade shifts as Sinclair’s true nature surfaces. The house becomes a cocoon spun by the false pretence of its owner’s fame and wealth. Everything becomes a mask behind which secrets lurk.
However, one of the core weaknesses is the film’s predictability. Whilst we’re never quiet persuaded by Sinclair’s good intentions, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t twists that subvert our expectations right until the end. You don’t have to do mental gymnastics to correctly guess the mystery of Sinclair’s success, yet it’s still fun to watch everything naturally unfold as the film pulls us along.
As the film progresses, it becomes evident that the lesson for each character is deeply personal, tinged with themes of self-discovery and acceptance. Ultimately, and most importantly, Liam must learn what it takes to be a writer.
Perhaps this film’s greatest lesson is that even an overdone or predictable idea can be shaped by superb acting and fresh talent into something that we’d want to see, even if it’s just the once.
