The Smartest Kids in the World movie review 2021

MOVIE TITLE: The Smartest Kids In The World

This intriguing documentary aired at the DocNYC Film Festival and will be available exclusively on the Discovery+ channel on August 19, 2021.

RATING: NR (documentary) PG

LENGTH: 105 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

Based on Amanda Ripley’s New York Times bestseller, The Smartest Kids in the World, chronicles a year abroad with four American teenagers, who study in countries that dramatically outperform the United States in education. We travel with them as they adjust from their local high schools in Wyoming, Orlando, Maine, and The Bronx to high schools in Finland, South Korea, Switzerland, and the Netherlands The film gives voice to students, hearing first-hand their discoveries and insight about how to reform U.S. high school education.

A New York Times bestseller, The Smartest Kids in the World was published in 15 countries and chosen by The Economist, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Amazon as one of the most notable books of the year. “This timely and inspiring book offers many insights into how to improve America’s mediocre school system,” said Publishers Weekly. “The most illuminating reporting I have ever seen on the differences between schools in America and abroad,” said Washington Post. The documentary was directed by Tracy Droz Tragos.

Jaxon contemplating life from a balcony in the Netherlands

THINGS I LIKED:

I actually think the movie poster is clever. We often assume that the countries around the world that are excelling in education must be using some secret superhero formula to score so well on exams. As a university professor, I’ve often wondered what exactly they’re doing that we’re not doing here in the United States. I was completely fascinated to learn more through the eyes of these American teens.
I appreciated the fact that both the book and the film explore the quality of education from the eyes and experiences of teenagers who are living it. When I was in high school, I was an exchange student in Mexico for a summer. I didn’t attend school there, but simply improved my Spanish and experienced “real” Mexico. The data about education show one thing, but teens who have actually gone to school abroad can offer so many more insights. I also did a Study Abroad program in Spain when I was earning my undergraduate degree in college. Traveling and living abroad is extremely educational! Those international experiences can expand your way of thinking more than anything else I can think of. Three of my sons have lived, worked, and studied abroad in China, Argentina, and Nicaragua. I believe that cultural understanding and appreciation is so important to improving foreign relations that I earned two bachelor’s degrees in International Relations and Spanish! I heard that Pepperdine University in California actually requires its students to do a semester of Study Abroad before they can graduate. That’s so awesome! Americans who are able to travel abroad always come home with a greater appreciation for both their own country and others.
It was good to show the struggles, as well as the triumphs that the American students had while studying abroad.
Learning about the South Korean exams was super interesting. I have actually taught in Asian schools in China several times and education there is no joke! It is extremely intense and competitive, like what was represented in South Korea. It was fascinating to hear the Minister of Education talk and express the desire that the testing tradition in South Korea be more “humane.”

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

We saw a lot of blank stares on the faces of the American students once they arrived in the foreign country. It wasn’t really explained if they had studied the foreign language before traveling there and, if so, how they prepared. Many of the scenes showed the American students speaking English with classmates and teachers, so I couldn’t tell how much those schools adapted to the Americans versus the Americans adapting to the schools in terms of the language used during lessons.
The timeline jumps from when the students first arrive in their new countries to when they come home. I wanted to know more in between! What were the big secrets they discovered about how those other countries did so well?
It would have been nice to point out some of the things American schools do well and even better than other schools in the world. The film mostly talked about how terrible American education is.
I couldn’t find a trailer for this film to show you!
When people spoke in foreign languages, we weren’t always shown subtitles to know what was being said.
I would have loved to see the four featured teenagers actually meet and compare notes at the end of their adventures!

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Young children will be very bored, but teens might be interested, especially if they have ever considered studying abroad.
No profanity or offensive content.

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