Movie review: The First Grader

If you're looking for something different and uplifting, check out The First Grader, a British film set in Kenya. The main character is an 84-year-old man, Maruge, who wants to take advantage of the government's promise of free education for Kenyans so that he can finally learn to read. The head teacher, Jane, decides to allow him to join the school and his much younger classmates eventually bond with him. But his presence at the school causes much angst among the parents, the townspeople and the educational hierarchy. Despite threats, both Jane and Maruge persevere.

Throughout the story, flashbacks of Maruge's life and his part in the Mau Mau rebellion are presented. When you see all that he's been through, it's even more impressive how determined he is to get an education. Oliver Litondo as Maruge and Naomie Harris as Jane are both wonderful, as are the small children who play Maruge's classmates. Definitely worth a matinee price admission and maybe even an evening full-price admission. Based on a true story.