The Class
Two Estonian teenagers become targets of escalating school cruelty when one refuses to abandon the other.
Overview
A gripping exploration of high school life where friendship and bullying collide.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- harrowing
- oppressive
- intimate
- serious film discussion
- social issue viewing
What critics said
The film is broadly regarded as a powerful, harrowing, and socially urgent portrayal of school bullying and its destructive consequences.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Kaspar's attempts to defend Joosep repeatedly intensify the class's harassment while adults fail to stop it.
The film follows humiliating school incidents and their aftermath in a stark, restrained manner.
Each retaliatory act and failed intervention builds directly on earlier incidents, creating mounting dread.
Joosep remains exposed to sustained abuse despite Kaspar's intervention and the school's apparent inability to provide safety.
Films like The Class, and why
Elephant
shared teen drama focus, institutional failure, and escalating school violence
Bang Bang You're Dead
shared high-school bullying, moral pressure, and emotionally devastating realism
This Is England
shared adolescent alienation, social cruelty, and bleak school-centered drama
The Hunt
shared devastating youth drama, peer abuse, and restrained naturalism
Movie Details
- Director
- Ilmar Raag
- Release Date
- 2007-03-16
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (256)
Cast
- Vallo Kirs
- Pärt Uusberg
- Lauri Pedaja
- Paula Solvak
- Mikk Mägi
- Riina Ries
- Joonas Paas
- Kadi Metsla
- Triin Tenso
- Virgo Ernits
Common questions
- What is The Class about?
- Two Estonian teenagers become targets of escalating school cruelty when one refuses to abandon the other.
- What is The Class like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Class as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Class violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Class as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Class?
- The film is broadly regarded as a powerful, harrowing, and socially urgent portrayal of school bullying and its destructive consequences.
- Which films are like The Class?
- Films with a similar feel include Elephant, Bang Bang You're Dead, This Is England, and The Hunt.
- How long is The Class?
- The Class runs 97 minutes.
