Well, if you're looking for the perfect Thanksgiving movie to watch with your family and friends -- here it is.
Radical is based on a true story of the life of Sergio Juarez Correa, a newly transferred teacher in Urbina Lopez Elementary School in Mexico who has embraced unusual methods of educating students.
As most true stories go, I'm sure they probably took some creative liberties in telling the story -- but it doesn't matter.
This is a story worth telling.
Truth is more important than cold hard facts, and this film has layers of truth harmoniously and painfully woven through it from beginning till the end.
In the movie we follow the adventures of our four main protagonists: Sergio (the teacher), Paloma (the impoverished), Lupe (the overworked), and Nico (the troublemaker).
(I gave each one a short description as to avoid excessively spoiling the movie.)
Naturally, in any old system or established organization, creating something new means challenging the status quo, regardless if your intention is for good or for evil.
In this case, Sergio had good intentions.
The problem was: he didn't know how to act on it.
This is a very human story.
How often have you found yourself wanting to do good only to realize you don't know what the hell you're doing, and not only that, but you actually ended up making the lives of others worse because of your good intentions?
This is what Sergio did.
While he did improve his students desire for true education, meaning, a hunger and thirst for knowledge and improvement of one's life, he also placed himself, his boss, his fellow teachers, and the lives of his own students at risk.
There's an old saying:
No good deed goes unpunished.
What it means is that, excessive kindness or helpfulness can actually backfire and cause harm.
Everyone knows this is true.
And if anyone doubts it then they probably haven't done enough good deeds in the world.
A perfect example of this is Jesus Christ. All He ever did was preach the gospel, feed the poor, heal the sick, and tell people to repent because the Kingdom of God is at hand.
And what was His reward for His good deeds?
His family rejects Him.
His disciples deny and leave Him.
His close friend betrays Him.
His government and religious community abandons Him.
And the very people He has served with love and compassion condemn Him to be crucified as a criminal.
And still, Jesus calls us to follow after Him, saying:
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
This is the heartbreaking truth of Radical.
By embracing his love for his students and the irreconcilable truth that a better way of teaching children has emerged and must be shared, Sergio essentially allows himself to be crucified by his superiors and colleagues.
But it's not just Sergio who must carry this cross; Paloma, Lupe, and Nico all have their own burdens to carry.
Paloma is dirt poor: she and her father live beside a massive pile of garbage where they sort through trash in exchange for money to survive. And what's worse is that, her father truly believes she'll end up just like him to the point of discouraging her dreams. For him, good education doesn't change one's reality.
Lupe is overburdened with the responsibilities of parenting: she feeds, showers, walks, and takes guardian-like care of her two younger siblings who also go to school with her while her pregnant mother stays at home with another baby on the way.
And Nico is trapped in the suicidal thrill of gang life with his older brother: he only goes to school in preparation for his initiation; nothing else matters.
It's in these dark and dead-end circumstances that the light in Sergio's life paves a new path for them.
I mean, each protagonist pays a heavy price for their path in life. Like, it's no joke. I don't want to spoil what happens, but put yourself in their shoes and imagine feeling trapped where getting good grades is all that matters -- or getting the validation and acceptance of friends and family was all that mattered to you -- then suddenly, it stopped being the purpose of your life.
Suddenly getting good grades stopped becoming the purpose of going to school.
Suddenly a new purpose arises that is much bigger than your friends and family can accept or believe in.
So, what do you do with that?
What do you do when a truth you believe in goes beyond the system?
What happens when the heart and the mind is finally opened up to a new way of life?
In the words of Jor-El:
What if a child dreamed of becoming something other than what society had intended for him or her? What if a child aspired to something greater?
Through the glimmering hope offered by Sergio, Paloma, Lupe, and Nico entered into the deep dark unknown with a head full of ideas and a heart full of dreams.
But the flickering of the candle can be blown out by the cold windy night.
And the pathway forward isn't always clear or bright.
And so, the radical dreamers, including Sergio, braced themselves for a rude awakening.
This is one of the reasons why I love this movie.
There is no propaganda.
Everyone has to live in the reality they were born in and the reality they have chosen.
And even if one should desire and dream to live a life of peace and stability, reality is designed in such a way, it seems, that it is almost impossible for certain desires to come to fruition.
Perhaps some dreams are meant to be just dreams.
Nevertheless, the movie makes another significant point: even if my dreams never come to pass, I can help someone else achieve theirs.
And perhaps it's through this treasured timeless truth that the upward and forward call towards a better life -- towards a better self -- is absolutely necessary in bringing healing into the word.
This is what Sergio inspired in his students.
It is as Jesus said:
It is more blessed to give than to receive.
The last thing I'll mention is about the symbolism of the lifeboat.
At the beginning of the movie Sergio plays a game with his students: the ship is sinking and we have a limited amount of lifeboats -- how do we divide up the people for each lifeboat?
This playful exercise develops more and more as the film progresses: the students discover the science behind buoyancy, the importance of mass, volume, and density, and the morality behind lifeboats.
Essentially, the question became: how do you decide who to save?
Another way of putting it: if you're already taking care of two kids and your mother wants another baby, which you will most likely be taking care of as well, would it be wrong to have an abortion? Is it wrong for a child to want to have a life of their own, or should she be held responsible for the lives of all her siblings?
Lupe, who was trapped in this situation and who was in love with the discovery of philosophy, offered Sergio some words of wisdom she learned: don't sell more tickets than you have lifeboats.
In other words, don't offer people hope who are doomed to have a hopeless situation.
But Lupe, just like all our protagonists, discover a greater truth along the path that goes beyond human philosophy or scientific research.
Sometimes when the ship is sinking and time is of the essence, the right thing to do is to get on a lifeboat and save yourself.
And sometimes the right thing to do is to give your lifeboat to someone you love.
I really hope you watch this movie.
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