This indie movie (filmed mostly in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic) is the 1st feature of director Alice Troughton; she directed TV shows in the UK and US. An Oxford grad/aspiring young writer, Liam Somers (Daryl McCormack), takes a tutoring position at the quiet/beautiful country estate of a famous novelist, J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant). The teen son of this writer, Bertie (Stephen McMillan), desperately wants to attend Oxford; he was recently short-listed to the school (NOT accepted yet). Bertie’s mom is an artist, Helene (Julie Delpy); she’s the parent Liam will report to re: his progress. Liam is sometimes invited to have dinner w/ the family; he soon realizes that the estate holds dark secrets.

This ones for us literary nerds, former (or current) teachers, and/or fans of neo noir. The Lesson had its premiere at the Tribeca film fest (co-founded by Robert DeNiro). One of my Bangladeshi friends went into film production; she had an internship w/ this organization about 15 yrs ago. As many viewers/critics noted, Grant does a great job here; this role is meatier than the one in Saltburn (2023). It’s V cool to see Delpy (who is aging gracefully) in a role outside of indie filmmaker Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy. The French actress gets to show a different side to her acting.

Irish actors (incl. Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, and Paul Mescal) are getting a LOT of press lately; McCormack (now 31) is coming up right behind those critically acclaimed stars. After barely missing out on a role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he starred opposite Emma Thompson in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022). The actor had to be quite vulnerable, incl. being unclothed in most scenes; he did a terrific job going toe-to-toe w/ a screen veteran. In 2023, McCormack was nominated for the EE BAFTA Rising Star Award, along w/ Naomi Ackie, Shelia Atim, Emma Mackey, and Aimee Lou Wood. I think he has a good chance of breaking into Hollywood; he is tall (6’2″), w/ large hazel eyes, and a lean (yet still muscular) physique. McCormack has dual UK-US citizenship, as his mother (who raised him) is white/Irish and father is Black American (from Baltimore, MD).

[1] I found “The Lesson” an engaging mystery.

[2] The performances here are some of the very best of 2023.

[3] Writer Alex MacKeith never lets go of the notion that writing as a profession or art can send writers down a dark path. […]

Isobel Waller-Bridge’s score tinkles enough to suggest tranquility or at least art films in general. Anna Patarakina’s cinematography captures languid summers at wealthy estates.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews