Education (2020) User Reviews (13)

On learning (and Black learning), sons and mothers, an excellent end to Small Axe

[Quinoa1984 · 9/10 · 2 January 2021]

The key to why Education is moving and goes deep into the core of what makes people get a leg up in life is that the Mother is just as important to the story as Kingsley. Matter of fact, though he seems to have more of the screen time at least in the first half, Mom has the arc and goes through her own education, and yet as misguided as she is early on there is sympathy. One (or at least I) may sense she dudnt grow up with things many of us (at least in the West) take for granted; late in the film, she finally in an act of possible desperation pulls out a book and tells Kingsley to read, and he bursts into tears because he... Cant get there.

Did she ever sit down to read to or with Kingsley when he was very little? Did she have the time as a constantly working mother? Dad wasn't going to do it (if there is a flaw it's that he is too one note, all he says is "come work with me and learn a trade," and sure, he doesn't know better either, but to a fault). This is me reading in-between the lines, and that's to McQueen's credit: the way he directs this and uses what I assume is grainy 16mm cinematography to be more intimate and closer to the subjects (this and Lover's Rock, the two Small Axes not based off true cases or people, look the most unique and charged with the pulse of light) and casts it so it feels immediate and raw and like we are immersed into this story. This is significant because a lessor filmmaker could take this same script and make it like an After-School Special. It's a "Message" at its core that is even more clearly stated than the other films in this anthology, but that's not an inherently wrong thing... If you're just honest about it.

What stuns me is that by the time we get to that "I can't read" breakdown (and sorry but I just have Mike Myers as Waybe Campbell crying and exclaiming he never leatned to read), it's beyond earned. The emotional work of a mother and son is powerful, thoughtful and the performers have the benefit of being faces (I assume) most of us haven't seen before. Is this McQueen doing Ken Loach? Maybe.

At the same time it's very much this artist throughout - the stand-out being a display of controlled, almost hazy cringe if that can be a thing where the kids in this "Special" school have to sit with this Bum (yes I mean that in the British way) awkwardly playing a guitar and doing his worst "House of the Rising Sun" and McQueen and the DP wander from bored to occasional wide-eyed face (what is the barking girl gonna do), and it displays one of the director's gifts of bending and sculpting time in a way where we feel it.

Putting aside the setting and the representation of people, it's a great gift to master, and Small Axe, which on the whole is only disappointing in that it isn't *quite* the high of what this most reminds me of in ambition and scope, Kieslowski's Dekalog (and I mean talk about problems we'd all love to have), is the work of an artist who understands how to challenge himself and challenge us to go for these highly political and deeply human sagas.

Education

[Prismark10 · 8/10 · 22 January 2021]

Education is a heartfelt, bittersweet and a provocative film from Steve McQueen. It was inspired by his own experiences at school and highlights the subtle insidious racism of the school system of the 1970s and 80s.

From the school's point of view. 12-year-old Kingsley cannot read and is regularly disruptive at class. The headmaster sends him to a special school and gets his mother to agree to this.

What the headmaster does not tell Kingsley's mother. That Kingsley will not get any remedial teaching at this special school. It is a school for subnormal children. The staff at the school are not too bothered about the kids. They are left to their own devices. The headmaster also does not tell his mother that she can appeal this decision.

Kingsley is interested in astronomy and wants to be an astronaut. His lack of reading skills holds him back which might be due to dyslexia. His parents do not immediately realise the magnitude of Kingsley moving to this special school. How it will affect his life chances.

It is only when some West Indian women get involved. Does Kingsley's mother learn that London school's did not want to know about black children who might be disruptive or just fall behind. One old man tells a group that his grandchild left school unable to read.

Education chimes in some ways with my own school experience. Not because failing children were sent away. It was a multicultural school and it was very much made clear that we were meant to be factory fodder. The only problem was that by the early 1980s, many factories were shut down so even that option was not open anymore.

I knew a couple of people from my year who left school unable to read. Then again despite the barriers placed. Others went on to become doctors, lawyers, accountants, scientists even a diplomat.

This was the most accessible film from McQueen for his Small Axe anthology. Kenyah Sandy gives a very good performance which was so well pitched. It also has an uplifting ending for Kingsley.

When I grow up...

[TheCorniestLemur · 8/10 · 31 May 2021]

So here's another part of my country's crap I never knew about I guess.

And as the closing act of Small Axe, it does the job pretty well, leaving things on quite a hopeful note, and again being loaded with great performances and directing, and even some decent humour at points, which I wasn't expecting.

The broad strokes of what's good about this series have been the same throughout for me, but I do have my individual issues with all of them, and with this one, it's that the main character doesn't have much...well, character. Sure, you sympathize with him fine enough, but there could have been a bit more spice to it if we knew anything about him other than that he wants to be an astronaut.

And also, his mum is basically abusing and neglecting him for the first half of it, but when she realises that he's going to an intentionally terrible school she turns into the bloody mother of the year. Sorry, not buying it.

Maybe this, like Alex Wheatle, could have been improved with a bit more time to sort things out, but as it stands, I like it, and it was a great closer to this series.

Small Axe: EDUCATION (2020)

[taranpannu01 · 10/10 · 23 December 2020]

Education is heartbreaking and hopeful. Unlike the previous instalment, McQueen and Siddons knows exactly what they want to say.

The film follows a young black boy being sent to a special needs school despite not having any special needs. The film is beautifully performed with the main child Kingsley being played with such maturity by newcomer Kenyah Sandy.

An old fave of mine, Sharlene Whyte who was always great in shows like Tracy Beaker delivers a complex performance as Kingsley's hardworking but loving mother.

The supporting cast of Naomi Ackie, Tamara Lawrence, Josette Simon, Jo Martin, Daniel Francis, Kate Dickie, Adrian Rawlins & Nigel Boyle are all deliver no matter how small or big their roles are.

The big takeaway from this film is once again how beautifully shot it is, the 1:66 aspect ratio, the grainy film, the production design is arguably some of the best I've ever seen, the strong contrast to the high clarity of some of the other Small Axe is so gorgeous to watch and immerses you into 70's London.

This one also felt so personal to McQueen, he has told of how he was tried to be shoved into one of these schools, told he would only be a builder as well as other mentions of his favourite EPL team Tottenham as well as the ideals of Kingsley's sister Stephanie who is trying to get into Chelsea College of Arts where McQueen also studied. This all leads to a deeply heartfelt and personal film that has an important story to tell, which has been powerfully crafted with a rich lens from DP Shabier Kirchner and strong performances from the ensemble.

McQueen was told he could never be anything but a builder and was "put to one side very quickly" due to his dyslexia and the colour of skin. But with his intelligence, his courage, his passion and above all the education he received, this world has been graced with in my opinion the finest filmmaker of our generation. And we are so much better for him.

Great Drama

[j238 · 10/10 · 9 February 2021]

Dramas with messages about social matters are typically preachy. Not this one! Brings the viewer right into the story to identify with the main character. Not surprising to learn there's an autobiographical aspect since it all felt completely personal. Tells a great story and makes you care about the educational system at the same time. 10 stars from me. This is one of the best shows I have ever seen.

A fine finale to the Small Axe series

[agmoldham · 7/10 · 21 December 2020]

I've never really reviewed many tv productions in the past, but the Small Axe series are worthy of a movie release. The episodes are directed by Steve McQueen and they focus on the West Indian community in the late 20th century.

The Education episode examines the institutionalised racism that Kingsley Smith faces during his education. At school Kingsley is singled out for being a trouble causer even though he isn't really behaving any differently from the other children. Rather than addressing Kingsley's needs he his sent to Special school which is completely inappropriate. Kenyah Sandy is excellent in the main lead and you have a real emotional investment in the film by the end of it.

Incredible

[matthewssilverhammer · 9/10 · 10 February 2021]

In what serves as the anthology's light-hearted comedy, Steve McQueen captures the full effect of systemic bigotry in one hour; the institutionalized and cultural segregation, the forced busyness of both parents, the emotional and physical exhaustion, even the resilience in the face of seeming futility. As a twist on the teacher-savior narrative, every moment in the classroom is excellent, especially the authentically cringe-y House of the Rising Sun performance.

Education

[jboothmillard · 7/10 · 12 December 2021]

Small Axe was an anthology of made-for-TV films from the BBC, suitably broadcast during the Black Lives Matter movement, created and directed by Steve McQueen (Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave, Widows) - Education was the fifth film of the series. Based on a true story, set in the 1970s, Kingsley (Kenyah Sandy) is a twelve-year-old schoolboy with a fascination for astronauts and rockets. One day, he is taken out of class for disruptive behaviour. Headmaster Evans (Harry Potter's Adrian Rawlins) informs his parents that he will be sent to a school for those with "special needs." Kingsley is surrounded by children with genuine mental and physical problems, but he is only one of a few black children. His genuine problem seems to be that he has not learned to read, but this is never properly resolved by the teachers. Kingley's parents, mother Agnes (Sharlene Whyte) and father Esmond are distracted by work and are not aware of the unofficial segregation policy at play, preventing many Black children from receiving the education they deserve. The children in this school are also not learning anything genuinely educational or helpful for their issues, with one lesson being overseen by Mr. Baines (Doc Martin's Stewart Wright) who just plays a guitar and sings "The House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals to the children. It is only when a group of West Indian women take matters into their own hands. Hazel (Naomi Ackie) introduces herself to Kingsley and poses as a teaching assistant to gain access to the school to oversee what is happening. She talks Agnes about the so-called "educationally subnormal" practise and insists that Kingsley and all black children deserve to be educated in traditional schools. The racist practise was eventually exposed, Kingsley is returned to his traditional school, he finally gets the opportunity to learn to read, and he dreams of one day becoming an astronaut. Also starring Kate Dickie as Miss Gill, Doctor Who's Jo Martin as Mrs. Tabitha Bartholomew, EastEnders' Tabitha Byron as Sheila, Tamara Lawrance as Stephanie Smith, Josette Simon as Lydia Thomas, Ryan Masher as Joseph, Jairaj Varsani as Sajid, Roshawn Hewitt as Baz, Aiyana Goodfellow as Nina, Nathan Moses as Ashley, Jade Anouka as Mrs. Morrison, and Nigel Boyle as Mr. Hamley. The performances are all good, the story is engaging, the period detail is well done, and it really puts across how far Britain has come and how much needs to change with attitudes to race and equality, a most watchable historical drama. Small Axe was nominated the BAFTA for Mini-Series, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television. Very good!

Documents an appalling and largely forgotten episode in recent British history

[dr_clarke_2 · 8/10 · 8 May 2022]

The final episode of Small Axe is 'Education', again written by McQueen and Siddonds, and whilst unlike 'Mangrove' and the two preceding episodes it isn't a true story, it is inspired by true life events. Specifically, it tells the story of a young boy named Kingsley Smith who attends a school in London in the 1970s, when some London councils followed an unofficial policy of transferring disproportionate numbers of Black children from mainstream education to schools for the so-called "educationally subnormal".

Kenyah Sandy plays Kingsley Smith, a young boy who is struggling at school, is labelled a trouble-maker, and promptly gets moved to a "special school". His mother is told it will help him and agrees and Kingsley soon starts fitting in really well at his new school and having fun. However it soon becomes apparent that he neither or any of the other children are actually learning anything.

'Education' is more nuanced and less overtly political than one might expect, with the focus on Kingsley as much as on the school system. But there's a real undercurrent of anger from the moment that Josette Simon's Lydia Thomas first raises concerns about the real reasons for why Kingsley was moved to a special school. There's lots of material about racial bias of IQ tests and controversial theories of intelligence and race, and in a damning indictment of the failings of the school system, it is Mrs Bartholomew's Saturday school - which engages black children by teaching them about their history - that finally gets results for Kingsley.

Sandy gives an impressively naturalistic performance, as do the actors playing his various "special" classmates, whilst McQueen directs with his usual skill. There's a social realism, docu-drama aesthetic to the often hand-held camerawork. There's a focus on trivial details, the camera lingering on Kinglsey's mum as she cooks and cleans. In recapturing the 1970s in this way, McQueen evokes the work of directors such as Mike Leigh, Alan Clarke and Ken Loach, albeit in his own style.

'Education' documents an appalling and largely forgotten episode in recent British history, but doesn't really explore what happened next. Perhaps it doesn't need to though: the story is engaging enough that it should motivate viewers to find out for themselves. And that, perhaps, is the greatest legacy of Small Axe.

A quietly spoken but powerful hour-long film

[eddie_baggins · 7/10 · 19 April 2021]

Ending his Small Axe series with a typically understated finale, Education brings Steve McQueen's five part series to a close with a quietly spoken examination of the one time failing British education system in an era were racial prejudices flowed down to the children of immigrants and refugees who now called Britain home.

Finishing right around an hour in length, Education is not concerned with deep diving or over examining its subject (here played by Kenyah Sandy as 12 year old Kingsley) or its subject matter but there's still ample heart and learnings to be taken from this calm and measured experience that ends up being the most intimately focused of the Small Axe bunch.

Filmed in a way that makes it appear as though it comes from the very time period in which it is set, right before Margaret Thatcher became heavily involved in the U. K political scene, there's a documentary like quality to McQueen and his team's approach to the story of Kingsley and his family as well as the story of his fellow children that were suffering at the hands of a weighted educational system.

It's a naturalistic approach from McQueen, one that fits perfectly with his more understated directional moments in his biggest films like Hunger and 12 Years a Slave and when you view this film as the last piece of the puzzle in the wider whole of the Small Axe series, it offers a shocking but sadly not surprising confirmation that the racist undertones of many British citizens of the time had a way of rearing its ugly head in all aspects of peoples lives at the time.

This effect is all achieved without any gut-punch revelations or moments of grandstanding, highlighted by the impressive but restrained performance of its young leading man, you almost wish McQueen had gone more for the jugular here but for a film that is over and done with in an hour, there's still more power and skill on show here than many other bigger budgeted and higher profile counterparts.

Final Say -

A quiet but important finale to the Small Axe series that has seen McQueen get TV products well and truly into the awards conversations, Education may not pack an emotional knockout but its an insightful reminder of times gone by none the less.

3 1/2 guitar playing teachers out of 5.

Thought provoking, socially relevant conclusion to the SA anthology

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 9/10 · 24 March 2021]

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Twelve year old Kingsley Smith (Kenyah Sandy) is interested in astrology, and wants to be an astronaut when he grows up. At school, he struggles with reading, and causes disruption in class as a result. He finds himself sent to a special needs school, despite not really meeting the criteria for it, where the staff don't care and he encounters racism. His case spurs the local Caribbean community in to action, revealing deep rooted inequality and bias in the education system. Throughout his collection of SA films, director Steve McQueen has returned to the Britain of his formative years in the 1970's/1980's and focused on several subjects in various situations living the black experience at the time. With his final instalment, he kind of goes back to the beginning, to a time of innocence and hope, to be sadly crushed like a flower in the park by a system designed to see that hope crushed. As a young actor having to carry such mature, socially significant material, newcomer Sandy effortlessly manages to make Kingsley a thoroughly believable product of the education system at the time, full of potential and opportunity, but not of the right background to help it lift off, or for those in authority to recognise it. And so it helps that the writing is spot on too, from Kingsley's mother, stressed out working long hours for low pay, but still determined to get the best for her son, to his dad who's depressingly resigned to his son living a life of mundanity, even to his believable home life with his sister. Through the intervention of some dedicated community activists determined to spearhead change, it finishes on a note of hope, that Kingsley could possibly achieve his dream after all. And, almost to reward his audience for sticking with the whole anthology despite the heaviness, McQueen finally injects some light relief, most notably Kingsley's unprofessional tutor forcing a tone deaf rendition of The Animal's House of the Rising Sun on him and the rest of the class. ****

Ending Where It Begins

[Cineanalyst · 4/10 · 16 January 2021]

Decidedly the least impressive of Steve McQueen's "Small Axe" anthology, "Education" is weepily didactic. Of course, all of the movies in the series--well, with the exception for the most part of "Lovers Rock"--are heavy on the social commentary as concerns London's citizens from the West Indies circa 1960s-1980s, and it's appropriate enough that a picture concerning education would be itself a lecture. And, naturally, many societal ills may be traced back to and perpetuate from the classroom, so it's an apt topic to end the program on. Still, this is barely more exciting than reading the pamphlet within the narrative on racial discrimination and the misnomer "special" in schooling, the reading of which is also done in the movie.

The acting and cinematography are fine enough as with the rest of "Small Axe" and McQueen's oeuvre in general, but there's not much else here beyond learning the already obvious and being coaxed to cry over a kid being illiterate. By the time the mother becomes involved in her son's education by attending the lecture within this lecture of a movie, the picture has ironically begun to lose its focus on the protagonist. I'd rather learn more, though, about Claudia Jones and Queen Amina of Zaria.

Something missing

[StudleyDave · 3/10 · 10 January 2021]

It's trying to make a valid point about balancing an education system, but focusses more on the 'nothingness' of the 'Special School' than actually showing actions that affected real change for those students being shackled. The dialogue makes those points, but all other elements of the story fall short, so it comes across as being messy and disorganised