BAD TEACHER 2.0****

“Bad Teacher” is not a bad movie but is certainly is not a good one either. It scores just high enough for you to rent and watch it on your home TV provided you have a six-pack or big bottle of wine to help get you through the weak spots and there are plenty of those. In fact, you probably should have a couple of beers or a full glass of wine before you start watching to mellow you out.

Elizabeth Hasley (Cameron Diaz) is a foul-mouthed, bitter, and quite nasty teacher that is keeping the job only to pay the bills after her rich fiancée
dumps her. Facing debt, aging, and loneliness, Elizabeth starts setting her sights on a boob job and on a new (rich) teacher (Justin Timberlake), who has
also captured the attention of a manipulative rival teacher (Lucy Punch).


Despite the writing being a fickle mess, the cast is good. Cameron Diaz is one of those underrated talents in Hollywood, because she rarely ever delivers a mediocre or weak performance. She is also quite good here because she isn't afraid to actually look old, spent and wrinkled (but never unfoxy) And in this film, despite her role as a smoking/drinking/vulgar/manipulative/cynical/cruel and superficial person, you still secretly root for her to succeed.

Bad Teacher is a good idea but is poorly executed, yet even then is nearly saved by the energetic cast. The first half has some laughs, but is far too convoluted. The movie definitely picks up later, but by then its too late, the potential was wasted.

Rated “R” for some sexual content and nudity but mainly for the vulgar/crude language language and some drug use .

Clark