Review: The Emperor’s Club

Told largely in flashback from the POV of a long-serving ancient history teacher (Kevin Kline) at a posh school about to have a 25 year reunion commemorating and recreating the school’s infamous history quiz (which makes school seem like a warm up for an appearance on “Jeopardy”, but never mind). We see the early days of his tenure as he tries to impart not only knowledge to his students, but also a sense of honour, integrity, and character. Enter troublemaker Emile Hirsch, a non-conformist smart-arse who clearly has the smarts, and Kline feels he shows genuine promise. But does he have the quality of character? Fellow students are played by Paul Dano and Jesse Eisenberg, whilst Rob Morrow and Edward Herrmann are among the faculty. Stephen Culp and Patrick Dempsey play the middle-aged versions of Paul Dano and Jesse Eisenberg, respectively, whilst Harris Yulin is Hirsch’s unfeeling politician father, and Embeth Davidtz is the woman Kline loves but can’t have.

 

Based on a short story by Ethan Canin, this 2002 drama from directed by Michael Hoffman (“Soapdish”, “Game 6”) has a sting in its tail, but is otherwise a hoary old mixture of previous ‘inspirational teacher’ stories like “Goodbye Mr. Chips”, “To Sir With Love”, and “Dead Poet’s Society”. Harris Yulin’s cold-hearted, disapproving dad, for instance is straight out of “Dead Poet’s Society”, as is the title, frankly. The rather bitter finale is disarming, but easily the most original thing in the damn film.

 

Thankfully the cast is a winner, with Kevin Kline and Emile Hirsch perfectly cast, and a young Paul Dano stealing the show in a nervy, nerdy part. I could’ve done without the obvious Steve McQueen reference with Hirsch and the baseball throwing. We get it, he’s a taciturn non-conformist, that’s what acting is for. Bit of a waste of the talented and lovely Embeth Davidtz, though…something I’ve typed way too many times if you ask me. Nonetheless her part is one of the most horribly neglected, underwritten characters I’ve ever come across. The film would’ve been better if the character were dispensed with entirely. It’s a real shame, the actors have turned up ready for work, but it’s at the service of a story that has mostly been done to death and a few times in zombified state too. Screenwriter Neil Tolkin (whose “Licence to Drive” and “Jury Duty” are even more dubious endeavours) lets them-and the audience- down. Or perhaps the original (LOL) story wasn’t up to snuff to begin with.

 

It took a few more years, but Hirsch (who also gives the film some- admittedly clichéd- rebellious spirit), Jesse Eisenberg (who, if the actor playing him as a mature adult is any indication, will become a hunky TV personality in his early 40s), and Paul Dano (who looks so incredibly young here) would move on to better careers and projects after this, and were probably just happy to be working at the time in something outside of the teeny bopper realm or bloated big budget bombs.

 

It’s kinda watchable, but only because of the efforts of the cast. “The Wonder Years” did this kind of material (minus the cynicism) back in the early 90s, and in under 30 minutes.

 

Rating: C+