Bad Teacher
2011 film by Jake Kasdan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bad Teacher is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky. The film stars Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch, John Michael Higgins, and Jason Segel, and follows a cynical, self-absorbed middle school teacher who returns to the classroom after being dumped by her wealthy fiancé, with the aim of finding another rich partner.
| Bad Teacher | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jake Kasdan |
| Written by | Lee Eisenberg Gene Stupnitsky |
| Produced by | Jimmy Miller David Householter |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Alar Kivilo |
| Edited by | Tara Timpone |
| Music by | Michael Andrews |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $20 million[1] |
| Box office | $216 million[2] |
The film was released in the United States on June 24, 2011, by Columbia Pictures. It received mixed reviews from critics but emerged as a commercial success at the box office, grossing over $216 million worldwide against a budget of $20 million.
At the 2011 Teen Choice Awards, Bad Teacher won 3 awards – Choice Movie – Comedy, Choice Movie Actor – Comedy (Timberlake), and Choice Movie Actress – Comedy (Diaz).[3] The film also received 2 nominations at the 38th People's Choice Awards – Favorite Comedy Movie and Favorite Comedic Movie Actress (Diaz).[4]
Plot
Summarize
Perspective
Elizabeth Halsey is a cynical, self-absorbed teacher at John Adams Middle School in Chicago. She shows little interest in her job, frequently drinking, using marijuana, and showing movies during class to avoid teaching. Planning to leave her position to marry a wealthy fiancé, her plans fall apart when he breaks off the engagement after being warned by his mother about Elizabeth’s intentions.
Forced to return to work, Elizabeth sets her sights on Scott Delacorte, a wealthy and naive substitute teacher while ignoring the affections of gym teacher Russell Gettis. Scott soon becomes involved with Amy Squirrel, an overly enthusiastic and competitive teacher who also dislikes Elizabeth.
After discovering that Scott’s ex-girlfriend had large breasts, Elizabeth becomes determined to undergo breast augmentation surgery in hopes of attracting him. Lacking the necessary funds, she raises money through questionable methods, including a suggestive school car wash, manipulating parents for “school supplies,” and charging students for unqualified tutoring sessions. Amy becomes suspicious and alerts the principal but lacks evidence to support her claims.
Learning of a $5,700 bonus awarded to the teacher with the highest standardized test scores, Elizabeth focuses her efforts on preparing her class for the exam. When her students perform poorly on practice tests, she resorts to cheating by drugging a state test official and stealing the answer key. Her class ultimately achieves the highest scores, and she is awarded the bonus.
Meanwhile, tensions escalate between Elizabeth and Amy. To sabotage Amy’s chances with Scott, Elizabeth plants poison ivy on an apple and tricks her into eating it, resulting in a severe allergic reaction. Elizabeth then accompanies Scott on a field trip and attempts to seduce him but ultimately finds his personality shallow and loses interest. Instead, she begins to bond with Russell, realizing they have more in common.
After one of her students, Garrett, is mocked for being rejected by a girl, Elizabeth offers him advice and helps boost his confidence.
Amy later uncovers evidence suggesting Elizabeth cheated on the state test and persuades Carl Halabi, the test official, to testify. However, Elizabeth blackmails Carl with compromising photos to protect herself. Turning the tables, she frames Amy by planting liquor, drugs, and pills in her classroom desk. When police investigate, Amy is removed from the school, and Elizabeth avoids consequence.
By the new school year, Elizabeth has undergone a transformation. She no longer pursues materialistic goals, has declined the breast surgery, and treats her colleagues more respectfully. She begins a relationship with Russell and takes on a new role as the school’s guidance counselor.
Cast
- Cameron Diaz as Elizabeth Halsey
- Justin Timberlake as Scott Delacorte
- Lucy Punch as Amy Squirrel
- Jason Segel as Russell Gettis
- Phyllis Smith as Lynn Davies
- John Michael Higgins as Principal Wally Snur
- Dave Allen as Sandy Pinkus
- Jillian Armenante as Ms. Pavicic
- Matthew J. Evans as Garrett Tiara
- Kaitlyn Dever as Sasha Abernathy
- Kathryn Newton as Chase Rubin-Rossi
- Molly Shannon as Melody
- Eric Stonestreet as Kirk
- Noah Munck as Tristan
- Finneas O'Connell as Spencer
- Thomas Lennon as Carl Halabi
- Jeff Judah as a janitor
- Nat Faxon as Mark Pubich
- Stephanie Faracy as Mrs. Pubich
- Christine Smith as Danni
- Paul Feig as dad at carwash
- Deirdre Lovejoy as Sasha's Mother
- Jerry Lambert as Morgan's Dad
Production
Bad Teacher was directed by Jake Kasdan, based on a screenplay by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky. In August 2008, Columbia Pictures acquired the duo’s spec script.[5] Kasdan was hired to direct the film in May 2009, and Cameron Diaz was cast in the lead role in December 2009.[6][7] Justin Timberlake joined the cast in March 2010, and principal photography began later that month.[8]
Filming took place in Los Angeles, California.[9][10] John Burroughs Middle School served as the location for the fictional "John Adams Middle School" featured in the film.[11]
In terms of wardrobe, Diaz is frequently seen wearing hristian Louboutin shoes. This was the result of a promotional agreement between the film’s producers and the fashion brand to feature its products on screen.[12]
Release
Summarize
Perspective
Box office
Bad Teacher grossed $100.3 million in the United States and Canada and $115.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $216.2 million.[2]
The film was released in North America on June 20, 2011, across 3,049 theaters. It earned $12.2 million on its opening day, averaging approximately $4,016 per theater, and went on to gross $31.6 million in its opening weekend, finishing second at the box office behind Cars 2.[2]
In Germany, Bad Teacher debuted at #1 on the national cinema charts, with approximately 496,000 admissions in its opening week. Its strong performance displaced Kung Fu Panda 2 which fell to second place after topping the charts the previous week.[13]
Critical response
Bad Teacher received mixed reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 45% based on 193 reviews, with an average rating of 5.3/10. The website’s consensus reads: "In spite of a promising concept and a charmingly brazen performance from Cameron Diaz, Bad Teacher is never as funny as it should be."[14] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 47 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews."[15] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[1]
Entertainment Weekly praised Diaz’s “fearless comic timing” and described the film as “a bold, if inconsistent, summer comedy.”[16] A. O. Scott of The New York Times called it “cynical and funny,” commending Diaz’s commitment to an unapologetically flawed character while acknowledging the film’s uneven tone.[17] Alternative Magazine Online noted the film as being “fun, fast-paced, and frequently hilarious,” highlighting the performances and comic energy.[18]
IGN stated that Diaz delivered an entertaining performance but found Bad Teacher structurally weak and reliant on crude humor.[19] NPR’s Mark Jenkins described it as “occasionally amusing” but criticized its lack of character development and emotional depth.[20] The Presbyterian Outlook observed that while the film briefly touched on ethical themes within the education system, it ultimately prioritized vulgarity over substance.[21]
Common Sense Media notes "Parents need to know that this raunchy comedy about a jaded, selfish, foul-mouthed middle-school teacher will likely attract teen fans expecting an over-the-top Apatowian laugh-fest, but what you get instead is an underwhelming film that's long on unlikeable characters (even though they're played by appealing stars like Diaz and Timberlake) and short on wit or insight."[22]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave Bad Teacher 2 out of 4 stars, writing that there was “no chemistry, or indeed even much mutual awareness between Diaz and Timberlake.”[23] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called it “a sporadically funny, largely charmless comedy,” while James Berardinelli of ReelViews described it as “a one-joke movie” that failed to expand on its concept.[24][25] The Boston Phoenix criticized the film’s “mean-spirited tone” and underuse of its ensemble cast.[26]
Accolades
| Award | Date of the ceremony | Category | Recipients | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Trailer Awards | 30 June 2011 | Best Comedy | Bad Teacher | Nominated | [27] |
| Teen Choice Awards | 7 August 2011 | Choice Movie – Comedy | Won | [3] | |
| Choice Movie Actor – Comedy | Justin Timberlake | Won | |||
| Choice Movie Actress – Comedy | Cameron Diaz | Won | |||
| ALMA Awards | 10 September 2011 | Favorite Movie Actress – Comedy/Musical | Nominated | [28] | |
| People's Choice Awards | 11 January 2012 | Favorite Comedy Movie | Bad Teacher | Nominated | [4] |
| Favorite Comedic Movie Actress | Cameron Diaz | Nominated | |||
| Young Artist Awards | 6 May 2012 | Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actor | Matthew J. Evans | Won | [29] |
| Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress | Kaitlyn Dever | Nominated | |||
| BMI Film & TV Awards | 16 May 2012 | Best Music | Michael Andrews | Won | [30] |
Home media
Bad Teacher was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray/DVD combo pack on October 18, 2011.[31]
Television series
On May 23, 2013, CBS announced a television series adaptation of Bad Teacher, with CBS Studios and Sony Pictures Television serving as production partners.[32] The series premiered on April 24, 2014, airing in the 9:30 p.m. time slot. Ari Graynor starred in the lead role originally played by Cameron Diaz, joined by Sara Gilbert, Ryan Hansen, David Alan Grier, Kristin Davis, and Sara Rodier.[33]
On May 10, 2014, CBS canceled the series after airing only three episodes, citing low ratings.[34]
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.