Skip to main content

Dome Pondering Movie Review: Bad Teacher (2011)

What is it about?

After a woman's goldigging ways are revealed and her engagement is broken off, a junior high school teacher returns to teaching to kill time until she is able to catch the next sugar daddy.

Who is in it?

Cameron Diaz - Elizabeth Halsey

Lucy Punch - Amy Squirrel

Jason Segel - Russell Gettis

Favorite Scene:

While in the car smoking marijuana, one of Ms. Halsey's students walks up and catches her in the act. Halsey then addresses the acts as medicinal, and has some choice words for the girl.

Favorite Quote:

"I have received a call from Mark's dad saying the car wash was a success, and then I got a call from Chase's dad about the car wash being a great success, and then a call from Danni's dad saying we should have a car wash every weekend. So whatever she did, worked."

Review:

I understand that Bad Teacher is supposed to be a comedy, unfortunately, the film leaves a lot to be desired in that category.

First the positives: Bad Teacher has an interesting concept behind it, and has a plot that can be developed into an interesting film if done correctly. Also, Cameron Diaz does a great job as Elizabeth Halsey, the foul-mouthed, no ambition, goldigger. And the rest of the cast was stocked with incredible potential. The talent was there to do so much more.

However, Bad Teacher is a bad movie. It's run at comedy fell flat several times, and it's use of Jason Segel, arguably the film's most interesting actor, was pathetic and pointless. The plot is filled with random occurrences happening to move the plot along. A plot that seemed all over the place in direction, and confused in so many ways. This was combined with poorly defined characters. 

Ultimately, Bad Teacher attempted to turn a foul mouthed, no ambition, scheming against the best teacher in the school, and law breaking character into the protagonist of the story. Hard to do so, and it pretty much sets up the downfall that is Bad Teacher. 

Serviceable film at best. 

Grade: 1.5/5

Recent Favorites

2024 NBA All-Star Weekend Thoughts

There's something wrong with the All-Star Game.  Yeah, we've definitely had this conversation before. Expect to pick up this very discussion (again) in July when Major League Baseball has their version in the "Mid-Summer Classic" when it is the ONLY current topic to bounce around in the stratosphere of sports discourse.  What's wrong with the All-Star Game?!  I'm not dismissing the obvious - yes, the NBA All-Star Game is very much at an alarming point of necessary refinement and change - evaluation is needed. What we saw on Sunday night was not disappointing, but outright embarrassing. Also yes, gone are the days when the game flooded your television screen at a respectable 6:30pm on NBC, and you were wowed by the athleticism and star power of the first half of the game, and treated to what felt like the world's best players playing pickup basketball on the grandest stage.  Now? Not so much. So yeah, we got the message. The outrage - and shock TV and hot t

Dome Pondering Movie Review: The After (2023)

What is it about? In a short film, a grieving man confronts his past when he comes face-to-face with a passenger.  Who is in it? David Oyelowo - Dayo Jessica Plummer - Amanda Amelie Dokubo - Laura  Favorite Scene: It's an extremely short film, so...the final few moments.  Favorite Quote:  None. (not much dialogue) Review: This eighteen-minute masterpiece is amazing. You're absolutely taken on this ride of emotions that ultimately leaves you with a great realization of questioning what we value in life.  The lead character, in eighteen minutes, is powerful. His grief is carried through the film, exploding at the end. It very much leaves the viewer with so many questions - what was his life before the tragedy? What was his life after that moment? Did he ever reconnect with that family? Did he rediscover happiness?  Again, a very, VERY, powerful eighteen minutes that will jolt the heart, mind, and soul about life, what is important, and what we overvalue in its place.  Grade: 4/5

Quick Ponder: Daily Armor

Imagine, if we can see the dents and scratches, the smashes and chaos,  on the daily armor, each of us put on. Just imagine.