The Revolutionary Optimists

It’s truly something to see these children come into their own, and to bear witness to the undeniable sea change Ganguly has set in motion.

Change may be elusive, Optimists confirms, but the will to make it blazes.

Unfortunately, the film often feels somewhat random and disorganized, with Newnham and Grainger-Monsen never zeroing in on a cohesive narrative structure. Still, the movie's engaging subjects (including several parents) and valuable themes largely carry the day.

The filmmakers display a genuine reverence for their subjects, evident even in the intimate but never intrusive photography.

As heartening as it is to see a slum child tutored about vicious cycles of adversity and using the buzzword “partnership” with aplomb, the film comes to feel cut and dried.