They say never meet your heroes, and the literary thriller THE LESSON offers a case in point, where a young would-be writer gets what he thinks is a dream assignment, tutoring the son of his literary idol for the boy’s Oxford entry exams. An Oxford grad himself, the tutor and aspiring author, Liam Sommers (Daryl McCormack, GOOD LUCK TO YOU, is ambitious and brings along his own unfinished first novel in hopes of some mentoring from the literary giant he so admires, renowned novelist J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant). Julie Delpy plays the famous writer’s wife Helene, an artist and art curator. The family lives on a large, isolated British estate, surrounded by unruly gardens and a rustic pond, with just a whiff of Shirley Jackson Gothic thriller in the air.
Director Alice Troughton does an excellent job of creating a tense, mysterious mood for THE LESSON. Troughton and scriptwriter Alex MacKeith keep a lightly wry touch to the proceedings, as the changeable Sinclairs keep us always a bit off balance. Although on the surface, the tutor and teen are the central concern, much more is going on beneath the surface.
The film actually opens not on the family estate but with a flash forward, of Liam being interviewed about his hit first novel on an artsy talk show. But we then transition back in time, to Liam’s idol, J.M. Sinclair, being interviewed by the same host on the same TV program. As the lauded Sinclair speaks, the author repeats that oft-heard literary line, “Good writers borrow from others. Great writers steal.” Exuding enormous charm, Sinclair delivers his signature line, with a twinkle in his eye and a winning smile.
We see that smile throughout the film but sometimes there is an emotional chill behind it. Scratch that, often there is that chill. Liam arrives at the great man’s estate, eager and excited, for what looks like either a last interview for the job or a trial run of his teaching skills. He is greeted by the butler, but rather than being given entry to the house, he is shown to a guest house. He meets the boy he is to tutor, shy and resentful Bertie (Stephen McMillan), then the boy’s mother Helene (Delpy), who seems to be the one making the decisions. Eventually, Liam does meet his idol, but only after the friendly, warm young tutor has been very thoroughly been put in his place by Helene and even the butler.
While the tense atmosphere works to unnerve Liam, he is also determined to make a good impression, hopeful of more of a chance to interact with his hero. But the new tutor is not the only one on edge. In fact both the son and the wife send out feelings of tension, even fear, and tread carefully around the great author. There are flashes of temper on the famous writer’s part but the electric tension that fills the air suggest something more than moody temperament is at play, and we also soon learn the Sinclairs are still recovering from a tragic loss
McComack’s Liam is charming and handsome but his appearance, accent and egalitarian manner all suggest he was not born to aristocracy or money despite his Oxford education. Liam is clearly ambitious as well as charming, and likely used to navigating around British aristocrats to get what he wants. In this house, he needs all the wiles he can muster.
THE LESSON’s drama unspools in tense mystery mode, offering us hints about secrets and the complex relationships. The landscape around their rambling home looks idyllic but hides unexpected dangers. For Liam, those dangers include the couple who are employing him.
Repeatedly, the film uses beavers busy in and around the property’s lake as a not-too-subtle hint that everyone on this property is also busily at work on something, and that there is much going on unseen beneath the surface. The film is divided into three parts, which reflect the structure of the novel that the great man has been working on for some time. Meanwhile, Liam has brought along his own novel, which he writes in long-hand as he goes about his tutoring work. The young Bertie discovers something special about Liam, beyond his natural charm and good looks, which is an impressive memory.
The trio at the center of this mystery drama, Daryl McCormack, Richard E. Grant and Julie Delpy, are splendid, together and separate. Nothing is quite what it seems, as hidden details and buried secrets emerge. Grant terrorizes everyone as the great man, while Delpy pulls back from his blasts, but then works calmly around him. McCormack’s Liam, taken aback by Grant’s Sinclair’s temper and imperiousness, recalculates and starts again. To Sinclair, he presents a smooth, deferential face but we see a more complex mix, including anger and resentment, away from the great man’s gaze. Another smoldering fire comes from Delpy and Grant, as the couple dance around each other, as well as around Liam, around their son and around some tough facts. The interplay among them, the twists and maneuvers, all work to keep us engrossed.
THE LESSON’s last act isn’t quite as strong as the first 2 parts but overall, the film delivers well. The film’s use of a framing devise, the younger man being interviewed at the beginning and again at the end, raises questions about whether the story we see is something real, or whether it might be just storytelling. It gives one a little chill, given what does happen, and also adds a touch of dark humor as well. What is real and what is fiction, what is true and what is story, heightens the mystery of THE LESSON. Some lessons are learned and some are taught a lesson, in this clever, well-written mystery-drama, so well played by the gifted cast.
THE LESSON opens in theaters on Friday, July 7.
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
