I really liked this film despite it being, at times, preachy. Having been a social worker and now a school teacher and having worked with many dysfunctional families like the ones portrayed in the film, I could definitely relate to the overwhelmed and well-meaning kindergarten director. Although set in France, it sure looked like some of our American schools because of child abuse, substance abuse as well as an overly bureaucratic system that didn't seem to do anything to help. The acting was also a standout, as the characters were very believable and it looked in many ways more like a documentary starring real people than a film. About the only negatives I could see were the preachiness of the film at times and also the apparent message that more money needs to be spent to deal with these problems. Although having become VERY jaded by my experiences in the field, I don't think money is the answer but enforcing accountability by the politicians, social workers, parents and teachers is the key. As we see in the movie, it's VERY easy to come with excuses why NOT to work for change but actually doing something takes someone special.
Review of It All Starts Today
