Bad Teacher

Last updated

Bad Teacher
Bad Teacher Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Jake Kasdan
Written by Lee Eisenberg
Gene Stupnitsky
Produced byJimmy Miller
David Householter
Starring
Cinematography Alar Kivilo
Edited byTara Timpone
Music by Michael Andrews
Production
companies
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date
  • June 24, 2011 (2011-06-24)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20 million [1]
Box office$216.2 million [2]

Bad Teacher is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan and written by the writing team of Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky. Starring Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch, John Michael Higgins and Jason Segel, the film tells the story of a middle school teacher who hates her job, her students, and her co-workers but returns to teaching after her wealthy fiancé breaks up with her.

Contents

Bad Teacher was released in the United States on June 24, 2011, by Columbia Pictures. It grossed $216.2 million.

Plot

Elizabeth Halsey is a lazy, immoral, manipulative, gold-digging teacher at John Adams Middle School in Chicago who curses at her students, drinks heavily, smokes marijuana and lets her students watch movies so she can sleep through class. She plans to quit teaching and marry her wealthy fiancé, but he dumps her when his mother shows him that Elizabeth is only after his money, so she resumes her job.

Elizabeth tries to win over wealthy substitute teacher Scott Delacorte. Her dedicated and enthusiastic colleague Amy Squirrel also pursues him while Elizabeth rejects advances from the school's gym teacher, Russell Gettis.

Elizabeth plans to get breast implants and becomes more motivated to do so upon learning Scott's ex-girlfriend had large breasts. However, she cannot afford the $9,300 procedure. Elizabeth attempts to raise money for the surgery through the 7th-grade car wash, wearing provocative clothing and manipulating parents to give her money for more school supplies and tutoring, but her efforts are not enough.

Amy informs the principal about Elizabeth's embezzlement, but he dismisses her claims when no evidence is provided. Scott also admits that he is attracted to Amy and only likes Elizabeth as a friend.

Discovering that the teacher of the class with the highest state test scores will receive a $5,700 bonus, Elizabeth decides to force the class to intensely study To Kill a Mockingbird for the test. However, since it is late in the school year, combined with her unorthodox teaching methods, the students score low on the practise quizzes, further frustrating her. Meanwhile, she befriends Russell, as Amy and Scott start dating.

Elizabeth plans to steal the state test answers by impersonating a journalist and seducing Carl Halabi, a state professor in charge of creating and distributing the exams. She convinces Carl to go into his office to have sex, but drugs him and steals the answer key. A month later Elizabeth wins the bonus, completing her needed funds, and books her breast enlargement.

When Elizabeth learns that Amy and Scott are chaperoning an upcoming field trip, she smears an apple with poison ivy and leaves it for Amy, who ends up with blisters covering her face and cannot go. On the trip, Elizabeth seduces Scott. They dry hump and Elizabeth secretly leaves Amy a message through Scott's phone, recording all the action.

However, Scott's ever-changing ideals disappoint Elizabeth. After her student Garrett is taunted by his classmates for confessing to an unrequited attraction to a superficial girl in the class named Chase, Elizabeth consoles him and helps make him popular, which prompts her to begin reflecting on her own superficial ways.

Back at the school, Amy switches Elizabeth's desk with her own to trick the janitor into unlocking Elizabeth's sealed drawer. The evidence Amy finds leads her to suspect Elizabeth cheated on the state exam. Amy informs the principal and gets Carl to testify against her. However, Elizabeth took embarrassing photos of Carl while he was drugged and uses them to blackmail him to say she is innocent.

Having been informed that her desk was switched, Elizabeth states that teachers in the school use drugs. When the police bring a sniffer dog to search the school, they find Elizabeth's mini liquor bottles, marijuana and OxyContin pills in Amy's classroom, in Elizabeth's desk, leading to Amy getting arrested and transferred to another school by the superintendent. Scott asks Elizabeth to start over, but she rejects him in favor of Russell, having learned they have a lot in common.

When the new school year starts, Elizabeth has reformed. She is kinder to her co-workers, and has started a relationship with Russell, and did not get her breasts enlarged because she feels that it is unnecessary. Elizabeth also has a new position as the new guidance counselor.

Cast

Production

Bad Teacher was directed by Jake Kasdan based on a screenplay by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky. Columbia Pictures purchased Eisenberg and Stupnitsky's spec script in August 2008. [3] In May 2009, Kasdan was hired to direct Bad Teacher. [4] The following December, Cameron Diaz was cast in the film's lead role. [5] Justin Timberlake was cast opposite Diaz in March 2010, and filming began later in the month. [6]

The film was shot in Los Angeles, California. [7] [8] John Burroughs Middle School was used as location for the scenes at "John Adams Middle School" in the film. [9]

In the film, Cameron Diaz wears mostly Christian Louboutin shoes. This is due to a contract between the film's producers and the fashion company to include the shoes. [10]

Release

Box office

The film grossed $100.3 million in the U.S. and Canada, while its worldwide total stands at $216.2 million. [2]

The film was released in North America on June 20, 2011, in 3,049 theaters. It took in $12,243,987—$4,016 per theater—in its opening day, and grossed a total of $31,603,106 in its opening weekend, finishing second at the box office, behind Cars 2 . [2] In Germany, the film reached No. 1 on the country's Cinema Charts in its opening week after 496,000 people saw the film. This caused Kung Fu Panda 2 , which reached No. 1 the week before, to fall to No. 2. [11]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 45% of 193 critics' reviews are positive, 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." [12] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 47 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [13] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. [1] Roger Ebert gave the film 2 stars writing "there is no chemistry, or indeed even much mutual awareness between Diaz and Timberlake." [14]

Accolades

Bad Teacher garnered awards for Choice Movie – Comedy, Choice Movie Actor – Comedy (Timberlake), and Choice Movie Actress – Comedy (Diaz) at the 2011 Teen Choice Awards. [15] [16] Musician Michael Andrews was among the Film Music Awards honorees at the 2012 BMI Film & TV Awards. [17] The film was nominated for Favorite Comedy Movie at the 38th People's Choice Awards. [18] Bad Teacher received a nomination for Best Comedy at the 2011 Golden Trailer Awards. [19] Diaz was nominated for Favorite Movie Actress – Comedy/Musical at the 12th ALMA Awards. [20]

Home media

Bad Teacher was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and a combo pack on October 18, 2011. [21]

Television series

On May 23, 2013, CBS announced a TV series based on the film, with CBS Studios and Sony Pictures Television as production partners. The show premiered on April 24, 2014, in the 9:30pm time slot. [22] Ari Graynor played the Cameron Diaz role, [23] while Sara Gilbert, Ryan Hansen, David Alan Grier, Kristin Davis and Sara Rodier also appeared. On May 10, 2014, CBS canceled Bad Teacher after airing only three episodes. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameron Diaz</span> American actress (born 1972)

Cameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress. Known for her work in both comedy and drama, her films have grossed over $3 billion in the U.S. box-office. Diaz established herself as a sex symbol and one of Hollywood's most bankable stars, and in 2013 she was named the highest-paid actress over 40. She has received various accolades, including nominations for a BAFTA Award and four Golden Globe Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Ryan</span> American actress (born 1961)

Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra, known professionally as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and filmmaker. Known for her leading roles as quirky, charismatic women since the late 1980s, Ryan is particularly recognized for her work in romantic comedies, a genre she dominated during the 1980s and 1990s. Dubbed "America's sweetheart" by the media, she became one of Hollywood's most bankable stars of the latter decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annie Potts</span> American actress (born 1952)

Anne Hampton Potts is an American actress. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Corvette Summer (1978) and won a Genie Award for Heartaches (1981), before appearing in Ghostbusters (1984), Pretty in Pink (1986), Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), Who's Harry Crumb? (1989), Ghostbusters II (1989), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024). She voiced Bo Peep in the first, second and fourth films of the Toy Story franchise and in various Disney video games.

<i>10 Things I Hate About You</i> 1999 American film by Gil Junger

10 Things I Hate About You is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Gil Junger in his film directorial debut and starring Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larisa Oleynik. The screenplay by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith is a modernization of William Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew, retold in a late-1990s American high school setting. The film follows new student Cameron James (Gordon-Levitt) who is smitten with Bianca Stratford (Oleynik) and attempts to get bad boy Patrick Verona (Ledger) to date her antisocial sister Kat (Stiles) in order to get around her father's strict rules on dating. Named after a poem Kat writes about her romance with Patrick, the film was mostly shot in the Seattle metropolitan area, with many scenes filmed at Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Marsden</span> American actor (born 1973)

James Paul Marsden is an American actor. He began his acting career guest starring in the television shows Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993), Touched by an Angel (1995), and Party of Five (1995). Marsden gained fame for his portrayal of Cyclops in the X-Men film series (2000–2014) and for his roles in the films The Notebook (2004), Superman Returns (2006), Hairspray (2007), Enchanted (2007), and 27 Dresses (2008). He portrayed John F. Kennedy in the drama film The Butler (2013) and starred in the comedy films Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013), Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David O. Russell</span> American filmmaker (born 1958)

David Owen Russell is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. His early directing career includes the dark comedy films Spanking the Monkey (1994), Flirting with Disaster (1996), Three Kings (1999), and I Heart Huckabees (2004). He gained critical success with the biographical sports drama The Fighter (2010), the romantic comedy-drama Silver Linings Playbook (2012), and the dark comedy crime film American Hustle (2013). The three films were commercially successful and acclaimed by critics, earning him three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, as well as a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Silver Linings Playbook and a Best Original Screenplay nomination for American Hustle. Russell received his seventh Golden Globe nomination for the semi-biographical comedy-drama Joy (2015).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Elizabeth Winstead</span> American actress (born 1984)

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is an American actress. Her first major role was that of Jessica Bennett on the NBC soap opera Passions (1999–2000). She came to wider attention for her roles in the horror series Wolf Lake (2001–2002), the horror films Final Destination 3 (2006) and Death Proof (2007), and the slasher film Black Christmas (2006).

"The Secret" is the thirteenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's nineteenth episode overall. It was written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and directed by Dennie Gordon. The episode first aired on January 19, 2006 on NBC.

Gene Stupnitsky is a Ukrainian-born American film and television writer, producer, and director. He usually works with Lee Eisenberg, with whom he founded Quantity Entertainment. From 2005 to 2010, he served as a writer, director and producer of the NBC sitcom The Office for which he earned three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He served as a co-creator, writer, and producer of the HBO comedy series Hello Ladies (2013-2014). In 2023 he co-created Jury Duty with Eisenberg.

Lee Eisenberg is an American film and television writer and producer. He usually works with Gene Stupnitsky, with whom he founded Quantity Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Punch</span> British actress (born 1977)

Lucy Punch is a British actress. She has appeared in the films Ella Enchanted (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Dinner for Schmucks, and Into the Woods (2014). She is also known for her role as Amy in Bad Teacher (2011), Amanda in the BBC series Motherland and Esmé Squalor in the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christina Applegate</span> American actress (born 1971)

Christina Applegate is an American actress. After appearing in several roles since early childhood, she gained recognition for starring as Kelly Bundy in the comedy sitcom Married... with Children (1987–1997). Applegate established a successful film and television career in her adult years, winning a Primetime Emmy Award as well as gaining nominations for four Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award.

"Weight Loss" is the collective name for the first and second episodes of the fifth season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's 73rd and 74th episodes overall. Written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, and directed by Paul Feig, the episode first aired as a single 60 minute show in the United States on September 25, 2008, on NBC. "Weight Loss" guest stars Amy Ryan as Holly Flax, Dale Raoul as Ronni, and Rich Sommer as Alex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Rodriguez</span> American actress

Elizabeth Rodriguez is an American actress. She began her career appearing in films Fresh (1994), Dead Presidents (1995), I Think I Do (1997) and Blow (2001). She played Detective Gina Calabrese in the 2006 film adaptation of Miami Vice.

"The Cover-Up" is the twenty-fourth episode of the sixth season of the American comedy series The Office. It aired on May 6, 2010 on NBC in the United States.

<i>What to Expect When Youre Expecting</i> (film) 2012 film by Kirk Jones

What to Expect When You're Expecting is a 2012 American romantic comedy film directed by Kirk Jones and distributed by Lionsgate. It was written by Shauna Cross and Heather Hach and is based on Heidi Murkoff's 1984 pregnancy guide of the same name. Its story follows the lives of five couples as their lives are turned upside down by the difficulties and surprises of parenthood. It stars Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Chace Crawford, Brooklyn Decker, Ben Falcone, Anna Kendrick, Matthew Morrison, Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock and Rodrigo Santoro.

<i>Bad Teacher</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Bad Teacher is an American single-camera sitcom created by Hilary Winston, based on the 2011 film of the same title. The series aired on CBS from April 24 to July 26, 2014, as part of the 2013–14 American television season.

<i>Sex Tape</i> (film) 2014 film by Jake Kasdan

Sex Tape is a 2014 American sex comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Kate Angelo, Jason Segel, and Nicholas Stoller. Starring Segel, Cameron Diaz, Rob Corddry, Ellie Kemper, and Rob Lowe, the film follows a married couple who make a sex tape to spice up their relationship only to wake up the next morning to find that it has gone missing. This sparks a frantic search in an attempt to find it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameron Diaz filmography</span>

Cameron Diaz is an American actress who has appeared in over 40 films throughout the course of her career, which spans over two decades. Originally a model, Diaz made her film debut in the comedy The Mask (1994). Followed by supporting roles in several independent films and comedies, such as My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), she has the starring role of Mary in the hit comedy There's Something About Mary (1998), which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy or Musical. She was subsequently cast in Spike Jonze's surrealist fantasy film Being John Malkovich (1999), which earned her a second Golden Globe nomination, and in Oliver Stone's sports drama Any Given Sunday (1999).

<i>Good Boys</i> (film) 2019 coming-of-age comedy film

Good Boys is a 2019 American coming-of-age comedy film directed by Gene Stupnitsky, in his directorial debut, and written by Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg. It stars Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, and Brady Noon. The film follows three naive sixth graders who ditch school to replace a broken drone and prep for their kisses after being invited to a major party – but things go epically awry. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg produced the film through their Point Grey Pictures company.

References

  1. 1 2 Kaufman, Amy; Fritz, Ben (June 30, 2011). "Movie Projector: 'Transformers' will detonate competition at holiday box office". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on July 2, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "Bad Teacher (2011)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Fleming, Michael (August 26, 2008). "'Teacher' in Columbia's class". Variety .
  4. ↑ Fernandez, Jay A. (May 27, 2009). "Director Jake Kasdan enrolls for 'Bad Teacher'". Reuters .
  5. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (December 9, 2009). "Cameron Diaz is a 'Bad Teacher'". Variety .
  6. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (March 2, 2010). "Justin Timberlake hot for 'Teacher'". Variety .
  7. ↑ "Movies Filmed at Los Angeles City Hall". MovieMaps. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  8. ↑ Bad Teacher (2011) - Filming & production - IMDb , retrieved January 5, 2024
  9. ↑ "Movies Filmed at John Burroughs Middle School". MovieMaps. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  10. ↑ Bad Teacher (2011) - Trivia - IMDb , retrieved January 5, 2024
  11. ↑ "GFK Entertainment – "Bad Teacher" holt Bestnoten". June 27, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Bad Teacher". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved September 21, 2023. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  13. ↑ "Bad Teacher". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  14. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Bad Teacher movie review & film summary (2011) | Roger Ebert". rogerebert.com. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Teen Choice Awards 2011 Nominees Announced: Harry Potter vs Twilight". HuffPost . June 29, 2011. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  16. ↑ Nordyke, Kimberly (August 7, 2011). "Teen Choice Awards 2011 Winners Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  17. ↑ Gallo, Phil (May 17, 2012). "Backbeat: Rolfe Kent Receives Career Achievement Honor at BMI Film and TV Awards". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 19, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  18. ↑ Goodacre, Kate; Fowler, Tara (January 12, 2012). "People's Choice Awards 2012: The winners in full". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  19. ↑ "The 12th Annual Golden Trailer Award Nominees". Golden Trailer Awards. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  20. ↑ Powers, Lindsay (July 28, 2011). "The Voice's Christina Aguilera, Selena Gomez Among ALMA Award Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Bad Teacher Blu-ray: Unrated + Theatrical". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  22. ↑ London, Derry (April 24, 2014). "'Bad Teacher' From CBS Premieres Tonight at 9:30PM". www.wltx.com. WTLX 19. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  23. ↑ 'The Crazy Ones' and 'Two and a Half Men' Switch Timeslots + CBS Announces 'Bad Teacher' & 'Unforgettable' Premieres
  24. ↑ Swift, Andy (May 10, 2014). "CBS Cancels The Crazy Ones, Intelligence, Friends With Better Lives and Two Other Series". TVLine. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.