Front of the Class (2008)
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A man with Tourette syndrome overcomes societal barriers to become an inspiring elementary school teacher.
The story
Twelve-year-old Brad Cohen lives in Missouri with his mother, Ellen, and younger brother, Jeff. He constantly faces trouble at school due to his tics. After a teacher calls him to the front of the class to apologize for his disruptions, Ellen seeks medical help. She eventually discovers Brad has Tourette syndrome. Determined to succeed despite his condition, Brad aspires to become a teacher. As an adult living in Georgia, Brad faces numerous rejections during his job search before finally securing a position at an elementary school where he begins to make a significant impact on his students.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Twelve-year-old Brad Cohen lives in Missouri with his mother, Ellen, and younger brother, Jeff. He constantly faces trouble at school due to his tics. After a teacher calls him to the front of the class to apologize for his disruptions, Ellen seeks medical help. She eventually discovers Brad has Tourette syndrome. Determined to succeed despite his condition, Brad aspires to become a teacher. As an adult living in Georgia, Brad faces numerous rejections during his job search before finally securing a position at an elementary school where he begins to make a significant impact on his students. Brad helps a boy with ADHD and OCD, Thomas, with reading and makes an impression on Heather, a girl with terminal cancer. He meets Nancy Keene on an online dating site and eventually proposes to her. Despite his fears that his tics might drive her away, she offers him constant support. Brad is eventually chosen to receive the Teacher of the Year award, which he accepts in front of his family and students. A textual epilogue reveals that Brad earned his master's degree, married Nancy in 2006, and even dressed up as the Atlanta Braves' mascot.
- First release year
- 2008
- Runtime (minutes)
- 95
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Peter Werner
- Writers
- Tom Rickman · writer
- Cast and characters
- James Wolk · Brad Cohen; Treat Williams · Norman Cohen; Brad's father; Patricia Heaton · Ellen Cohen; Brad's mother; Dominic Scott Kay · young Brad Cohen; Johnny Pacar · Jeff Cohen; Brad's younger brother; Sarah Drew · Nancy Keene; Brad's girlfriend; Charlie Finn · Ron; Brad's roommate; Kathleen York · Diane Cohen; Brad's stepmother and Norman's second wife
- Genres
- Biographical drama
- Themes
- Overcoming disability; Education; Parental devotion; Persistence
- Tone and mood
- Inspirational; Biographical; Emotional
- Premise and plot tags
- True Story; Disability; Teacher; Drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had by Brad Cohen and Lisa Wysocky (2005)
- Reception
- Brad Cohen was pleased with the overall result of the film, noting that it stayed truthful to his experience without being sensationalized, despite some minor chronological adjustments.
- Production trivia
- The film was produced in Shreveport, Louisiana.; James Wolk and Dominic Scott Kay underwent a 'Tourette's boot camp' to portray the tics accurately.; The movie was released on DVD in January 2009.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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