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BAD TEACHERMovie Reviews
Comedy about a foul-mouthed, inappropriate teacher who plans to escape her job by winning the affection of a rich, handsome substitute. Cast:Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Jason Segel, John Michael HigginsDirector:Jake KasdanRelease Date:June 24, 2011DVD Release:October 18, 2011From:Sony PicturesRating:RLength:1 hr 29 min
Bad Teacher played to mixed reviews. • James Berardinelli wrote for Reel Views, "The concept titillates - an oversexed, drug-abusing, foul-mouthed, doesn't-give-a-shit woman put in charge of a classroom - but the result is drab, obvious, disappointing." • And Peter Howell wrote in the Toronto Star, "...has its amusing moments, but also many where you can’t help wondering about the comedic choices." More Reviews Below...
Bad Teacher Positive Reviews (47 Reviews, reviews below)
Lesley Messer, People: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Diaz boldly flaunts her R-rated comedy chops -- along with her famous legs... She's profanely funny, but the movie often drags."(See all of Lesley Messer's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 117 words, 06/23/11
Mary Pols, Time: FAIR "It's not that the movie isn't at least a little funny; it is, intermittently.... Diaz wants to be the 'Bad Santa' of education... she's halfway there..."(See all of Mary Pols's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 755 words, 06/24/11
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...exactly the one-joke movie that you probably expect it to be, but there are enough variations and shadings of that one joke to sustain its brief running time -- just barely."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 628 words, 06/23/11
Thelma Adams, Us Weekly: VERY GOOD(cg) "Timberlake clearly relishes acting against type as a tweedy people-pleaser who famously can't carry a tune.... give Diaz extra credit for mining her bad self..."(See all of Thelma Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 148 words, 06/23/11
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: MODERATE(cg) "...there's so little bounce -- or real shock -- to the film's overly controlled 'look how rude we're being!' black comedy that the audience is left stranded."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 398 words, 06/23/11
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: MODERATE(cg) "...the editing has the subtle edge of a buzzsaw. How did Elizabeth even become a teacher? The movie doesn't know or care. So why should we?"(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 310 words, 06/23/11
Claudia Puig, USA Today: WEAK(cg) "...disjointed... there are tedious patches and gaping holes in the story. No one bothered to create anything beyond a vague outline of a superficial character."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 469 words, 06/24/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: MODERATE(cg) "...immediately brings 'Bad Santa' to mind and suffers by the comparison. Its bad person is neither bad enough or likable enough."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 596 words, 06/22/11
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: EXCELLENT(cg) "A refreshingly raucous comedy.... Its depiction of a variety of vicious fish trying to crowd one another out of a small pond is sharp enough to elevate it a bit..."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 847 words, 06/22/11
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: MODERATE(cg) "The concept titillates - an oversexed, drug-abusing, foul-mouthed, doesn't-give-a-shit woman put in charge of a classroom - but the result is drab, obvious, disappointing."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 691 words, 06/23/11
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Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: WEAK(cg) "...the filmmakers never give us a single reason to root for such a miserable character, whose comic appeal rarely reaches further than dirty words and bad behavior."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 324 words, 06/24/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...when the final grades are in, it is a frustrating mix of smart flash and smirking impudence.... more like a string of comic vignettes than an actual story unfolding..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 808 words, 06/24/11
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...moderately funny... shows some nerve. It's raunchy without constantly resorting to a game of 'Can You Top This?'... the strongest laughs are earned by Jason Segel..."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 489 words, 06/24/11
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Some funny moments sandwiched in a sloppy, cynical script.... The problem with 'Bad Teacher' is not that its heroine is a woman but one without a heart."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 315 words, 06/24/11
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: GOOD "...a good, raunchy, gonzo comedy in the spirit of Bill Murray pictures like 'Meatballs' and 'Stripes,' but with a woman (quite a woman) talking dirty and drinking too much..."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 765 words, 06/24/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: MODERATE(cg) "...immediately brings 'Bad Santa' to mind and suffers by the comparison. Its bad person is neither bad enough or likable enough."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 596 words, 06/22/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...unapologetically cartoony and weird.... it's Jason Segel who slowly emerges from the sidelines to become the most interesting thing in the movie."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 374 words, 06/25/11
KEY CITIES (12 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: WEAK(cg) "...mostly dull... defines exactly where the line can be drawn between truly subversive humor and lazy cynicism.... feels strained and mean-spiritedly one-note..."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 514 words, 06/24/11
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Breast enhancement gags? Got 'em. Lesbian one-liners? Check. Some graphic descriptions of condom use? Afraid so."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 490 words, 06/24/11
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: MODERATE(cg) "The writing seems forced... the film isn't shot or edited in ways that help the comedy deliver surprises or develop momentum. The laughs are kept at arm's length."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 608 words, 06/24/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "...it drags heroic-educator yarns into the boy's bathroom for a swirlie. This one may not sit at the head of the class, but it earns a smattering of gold stars."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 410 words, 06/24/11
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: POOR(cg) "...there is a seed of satirical cynicism in this movie that a smart, clear mind could have finessed. Jake Kasdan is not that director."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 530 words, 06/24/11
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD(cg) "There's a place for rude humor, and that place is wherever we least expect it.... brazenly funny... best when it's baddest."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 254 words, 06/24/11
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: FAIR(cg) "...has no intention of shocking viewers even though the potential is there.... This is a comedy never proceeding beyond its idea pitch and attractive casting."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 498 words, 06/24/11
Adam Graham, Detroit News: FAIR(cg) "Everyone loves an anti-hero, but usually there's something redeeming about the character that makes you want to root for them in the end. Not so much here..."(See all of Adam Graham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 425 words, 06/24/11
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...as uneven as that wobbly desk you got stuck with in seventh grade.... it wastes too much time focusing on jokes that are repetitive and exaggerated..."(See all of Connie Ogle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 578 words, 06/24/11
Josh Tyler, Cinema Blend: WEAK(cg) "...somewhere in the script there's a legitimately great comedy waiting to get out. Unfortunately if it's there, I doubt Jake Kasdan would have any idea how to make it."(See all of Josh Tyler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 814 words, 06/24/11
Brett Michel, Boston Phoenix: WEAK(cg) "...will anyone sitting through this slog actually believe the lazy money-grubber will augment her perfectly perky B-cups to attract an overly agreeable imbecile?..."(See all of Brett Michel's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 141 words, 06/30/11
Nathan Rabin, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "The similarities between 'Bad Teacher' and the beloved 2003 Yuletide black comedy 'Bad Santa' begin with the titles, and they don't end until 'Bad Teacher' does."(See all of Nathan Rabin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 380 words, 06/23/11
Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline: EXCELLENT(cg) "For the most part, the movie's writers, Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg, have hit the groove just right.... the actors warm to the material's outright insolence."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,268 words, 06/23/11
Nick Schager, Slant: WEAK(cg) "...vainly strives for outrageousness via dry-humping, nude-pic blackmail scams, and desperate cracks about blacks, Jews, and 'Orientals.' "(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 441 words, 06/22/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...unapologetically cartoony and weird.... it's Jason Segel who slowly emerges from the sidelines to become the most interesting thing in the movie."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 374 words, 06/25/11
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a refreshing breath of just-so-wrongness in today's movie milieu.... all about piling degradation onto supposedly sympathetic protagonists... unexpectedly smart..."(See all of MaryAnn Johanson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 782 words, 06/20/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (6 Reviews)
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: POOR "Have talented actors ever struggled so much to so little avail? Ms. Diaz sells her lines like a street vendor peddling fake Timexes..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 264 words, 06/24/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...when the final grades are in, it is a frustrating mix of smart flash and smirking impudence.... more like a string of comic vignettes than an actual story unfolding..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 808 words, 06/24/11
Leslie Felperin, Daily Variety: WEAK "...sloppy continuity and unfilled story blanks suggest ample post-production surgery on a pic that commenced shooting more than a year ago."(See all of Leslie Felperin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 795 words, 06/17/11
John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter: MODERATE "Passably funny vision of classroom apathy... Having decided not to risk offending us, it could at least work a little harder to earn our affection."(See all of John DeFore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 609 words, 06/17/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...when the final grades are in, it is a frustrating mix of smart flash and smirking impudence.... more like a string of comic vignettes than an actual story unfolding..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 808 words, 06/24/11
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...sharply uneven... ultimately more crude than rude, more irritating than funny, more middle-of-the ground than truly offensive or outrageous."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 568 words, 06/20/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: POOR "Have talented actors ever struggled so much to so little avail? Ms. Diaz sells her lines like a street vendor peddling fake Timexes..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 264 words, 06/24/11
23.9 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Bad Teacher's reviews are separated by an average 23.9 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Bad Teacher (47 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Bad Teacher's reviews cover 98.3% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 25,834 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 550 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Bad Teacher Coverage, Volume & Length (47 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 12.8 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Bad Teacher's reviews on average broke 12.8 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Bad Teacher's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Bad Teacher (47 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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