Watch A Teacher

A Teacher is a 2013 independent drama film that delves deep into the complexities of a teacher-student affair. The story revolves around Diana Watts (Lindsay Burdge), an English teacher at a suburban high school in Texas. She is in her early thirties, passionate about her work and popular among her students. Diana begins to develop a romantic interest in one of her students, Eric Tull (Will Brittain), a handsome and popular athlete, who is just eighteen years old. Despite the age difference and the immoral nature of the relationship, Diana and Eric begin a secret affair. They engage in sexual encounters in hotel rooms, in his car, and at her house while trying to keep their relationship under wraps.

As their affair continues, Diana becomes more obsessed with Eric, and her professional and personal life start to unravel. She becomes reckless, irresponsible and neglectful of her duties as a teacher. Diana spirals further out of control, and the affair begins to take a heavy toll on her mental health, made worse by the fact that Eric is still in high school and has a future ahead of him.

The movie is an unflinching portrayal of the emotional turmoil and consequences of a teacher-student affair. It explores the power dynamic within such relationships, and how it can lead to manipulation and exploitation. It also delves into the psychological effects on both the victim and perpetrator of such situations.

Lindsay Burdge’s brilliant portrayal of Diana is a standout in the movie. She captures the character’s vulnerability, loneliness, and desperation to maintain the affection of her young lover. Will Brittain as Eric also delivers a nuanced performance as a conflicted young adult, figuring out his own feelings while struggling to come to terms with the reality of what their relationship means.

The film’s director, Hannah Fidell, expertly crafts the narrative with a steady pace, punctuated with moments of tense chemistry between the two main characters, and an underlying feeling of unease. She, along with cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo, creates a distinct visual style that captures the film’s dark tones and melancholic nature.

One of the strengths of A Teacher is its refusal to provide easy answers or cliched characterizations. It avoids painting the situation as a black and white issue, instead, presenting it with murky shades of gray. It doesn't attempt to justify, glorify or vilify the actions of the characters. Instead, it presents the affair as a destructive and messy situation, with long-lasting repercussions for all involved.

Overall, A Teacher is an intense and thought-provoking movie that poses difficult questions about the blurred lines between love, obsession, and abuse of power. It is a compelling examination of a taboo subject matter and serves as a warning about the consequences of giving in to one's deepest desires, no matter how strong they may be.

A Teacher is a 2013 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 17 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.8 and a MetaScore of 47.