The Student

The Student (2016) is a thought-provoking drama that explores themes of religion, morality, and rebellion in a high school setting. The movie follows the story of Veniamin Yuzhin, a teenager who becomes convinced that the world is lost to evil and begins to challenge the morals and beliefs of the adults surrounding him. Veniamin's evangelical zeal leads him to disrupt his biology class with impromptu Bible readings, protest against sex education, and advocate for a school code that requires female students to wear one-piece swimsuits. His actions spark controversy and conflict among his classmates, teachers, and the school administration. As Veniamin becomes more extreme in his beliefs, he begins to alienate those around him. His friend with a physical disability, who initially supports his moral crusade, becomes disillusioned with Veniamin's rigid interpretation of the Bible. Meanwhile, Veniamin's mother, who works multiple jobs to support her son, struggles to understand his sudden zealotry. The film reaches a climax when Veniamin takes his convictions to a dangerous level. He strips naked in his biology class to protest the teacher's demonstration of safe sex, and later, he kills his friend with a rock when the latter expresses romantic interest in him. The tragic event forces Veniamin to confront the consequences of his actions and re-examine his beliefs. The Student features a talented cast, including Peter Skvortsov as Veniamin Yuzhin and Viktoriya Isakova as Elena Krasnova, Veniamin's biology teacher. The film's cinematography captures the bleakness and isolation of a Russian high school student's life, adding to the overall sense of desperation and turmoil.

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Some movies that have similar genres and were produced around the same time as The Student include Beautiful Boy, Bombshell, Nomadland, Still Alice, Manchester by the Sea, The Good Lie.