Bad Teacher
Bad Teacher is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan from a screenplay by 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 lazy middle school teacher who hates her job, her students, and her co-workers who is forced to return to teaching to make enough money for breast implants after her wealthy fiancé dumps her. Bad Teacher was released in theaters in the United States on June 24, 2011 by Columbia Pictures. It grossed $216.2 million against a $20 million budget.
| Bad Teacher | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jake Kasdan |
| Produced by | Jimmy Miller David Householter |
| Written by | Lee Eisenberg Gene Stupnitsky |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Michael Andrews |
| Cinematography | Alar Kivilo |
| Edited by | Tara Timpone |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing |
Release date |
|
Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $20 million[1][2] |
| Box office | $216.2 million[2] |
Plot
Elizabeth Halsey is a lazy, gold-digging Chicago teacher at John Adams Middle School who curses at her students, drinks heavily, smokes and shows movies to 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. She 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 have her breasts enlarged, 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 views 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 change her style of teaching, forcing the class to intensely study To Kill a Mockingbird for the test. However, the change is too late. The students score low on the book 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 this 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. Amy is 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, 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
- Cameron Diaz as Elizabeth Halsey, a lazy, gold-digging and drug-abusing teacher
- Lucy Punch as Amy Squirrel, a spiteful and neurotic teacher who wants Elizabeth fired and arrested
- Jason Segel as Russell Gettis, a gym teacher who is smitten with Elizabeth
- Justin Timberlake as Scott Delacorte, a wealthy substitute teacher whom Elizabeth likes
- Phyllis Smith as Lynn Davies, Elizabeth's best friend, co-worker and fellow teacher
- John Michael Higgins as Principal Wally Snur, the principal
- Dave Allen as Sandy Pinkus, a teacher and singer
- Jillian Armenante as Ms. Pavicic
- Matthew J. Evans as Garrett Tiara, a lovestruck boy
- Kaitlyn Dever as Sasha Abernathy, a student who seems to idolize Elizabeth
- Kathryn Newton as Chase Rubin-Rossi, a popular, superficial student and the object of Garrett's affection
- Molly Shannon as Melody (Garrett's Mom), who invites Elizabeth to spend Christmas with her family
- Eric Stonestreet as Kirk, Elizabeth's roommate
- Noah Munck as Tristan, one of Elizabeth's students who frequently bullies Garrett
- Finneas O'Connell as Spencer, one of Elizabeth's students
- Thomas Lennon as Carl Halabi, an educator who gets seduced and blackmailed by Elizabeth
- Jeff Judah as Janitor at the school
- Nat Faxon as Mark Pubich, Elizabeth's wealthy fiancé who dumps her at the beginning of the film
- Stephanie Faracy as Mrs. Pubich, Mark's mother who convinces him to dump Elizabeth
- David Paymer as Doctor Vogel, plastic surgeon
- Christine Smith as Danni, a patient of Doctor Vogel with augmented breasts
- Paul Feig as Dad at Carwash
- Deirdre Lovejoy as Sasha's Mother
- Jerry Lambert as Morgan's Dad
Production
Bad Teacher is 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]
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] Documents from the Sony Pictures hack revealed the film turned a profit of $64 million.[7]
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.[8]
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 44% based on 178 reviews and a rating average of 5.3/10. The site's critical 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."[9] Metacritic gave the film a score of 47 out of 100 based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[10] CinemaScore polls reported that moviegoers gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale.[1]
Accolades
| Award | Category | Recipients | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 ALMA Awards[11] | Favorite Movie Actress – Comedy/Musical | Cameron Diaz | Nominated |
| 2011 Teen Choice Awards[12] | Choice Movie – Comedy | Won | |
| Choice Movie Actor – Comedy | Justin Timberlake | Won | |
| Choice Movie Actress – Comedy | Cameron Diaz | Won | |
| 33rd Young Artist Awards[13] | Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actor | Matthew J. Evans | Won |
| Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress | Kaitlyn Dever | Nominated | |
| 2012 BMI Film & TV Awards[14] | Film Music Award | Michael Andrews | Won |
Possible sequel and TV series
On June 20, 2013, Sony announced that it was working on Bad Teacher 2. The company hired Justin Malen to write the sequel. Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, who wrote the first film, will return as producers. A release from Sony studios said the project is "being developed for Cameron Diaz to star in the film, but no deal is yet set with the actress." Jake Kasdan will again be the director.[16]
On May 23, 2013, CBS announced a TV series based on the movie, with CBS Studios and Sony Pictures Television as production partners. The show premiered on April 24, 2014, in the 9:30pm time slot.[17] Ari Graynor played the Cameron Diaz role,[18] 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.[19] Bad Teacher last aired during the spring TV season on May 22, 2014. However, in July 2014, CBS burned off the remaining unseen episodes by showing two episodes on Saturday nights.
References
- Kaufman, Amy; Fritz, Ben (June 30, 2011). "Movie Projector: 'Transformers' will detonate competition at holiday box office". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on July 2, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- "Bad Teacher (2011)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
- Fleming, Michael (August 26, 2008). "'Teacher' in Columbia's class". Variety.
- Fernandez, Jay A. (May 27, 2009). "Director Jake Kasdan enrolls for 'Bad Teacher'". Reuters.
- Siegel, Tatiana (December 9, 2009). "Cameron Diaz is a 'Bad Teacher'". Variety.
- Siegel, Tatiana (March 2, 2010). "Justin Timberlake hot for 'Teacher'". Variety.
- "Physical Year End 2013-Budget Presentation". WikiLeaks. March 16, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "GFK Entertainment – "Bad Teacher" holt Bestnoten". June 27, 2011.
- "Bad Teacher". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango (company). Retrieved July 9, 2014.
- "Bad Teacher Reviews, Ratings, Credits". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
- "2011 NLCR ALMA Awards – Nominees" (PDF). almaawards.com. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
- Ng, Philiana (July 19, 2011). "Teen Choice Awards 2011: 'Pretty Little Liars,' Rebecca Black Added to List of Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
- "33rd Annual Young Artist Awards – Nominations / Special Awards". The Young Artist Foundation. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
- Gallo, Phil (May 17, 2012). "Backbeat: Rolfe Kent Receives Career Achievement Honor at BMI Film and TV Awards". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
- "Bad Teacher Blu-ray: Unrated + Theatrical". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
- O'Neal, Sean (June 20, 2013). "Bad Teacher 2 to further explore the badness of teachers". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- 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.
- 'The Crazy Ones' and 'Two and a Half Men' Switch Timeslots + CBS Announces 'Bad Teacher' & 'Unforgettable' Premieres
- Swift, Andy (May 10, 2014). "CBS Cancels The Crazy Ones, Intelligence, Friends With Better Lives and Two Other Series". TVLine. Retrieved May 10, 2014.