After the startling mediocrity of Green Lantern, I dragged myself to see Bad Teacher, thinking a comedy might lift my spirits. Instead it completed a double bill of so-so movies.
Maybe I’m being too harsh. It was an OK comedy that had a few laughs. It’s nice to see Cameron Diaz doing full-on comedy again – she’s good at it and I think she’s a great example to give stupid sexist idiots who say that women can’t be funny.
She had a great supporting cast around her. Jason Segal is solid as always, and I think may be the person doing the best off the back of How I Met Your Mother (although Cobie Smulders is going to be in The Avengers so let’s wait and see). Phyllis Smith and Eric Stonestreet (from The US Office and Modern Family, respectively) have small but entertaining parts and Justin Timberlake (who has never wowed me in serious roles) is good as the dorky object of Diaz’s affection. It’s weird that the international sex-symbol seems his most comfortably playing a loser, but perhaps hanging around with Andy Samberg has honed his comedy skills.
The real breakout star in this is Lucy Punch, a British actress who I’ve only really seen before in Hot Fuzz (briefly) and ill-fated American sitcom The Class. She is hilarious and has a real future in comedy. Her character (although technically the antagonist to Diaz’s antihero) is the one I ended up routing for, and I felt quite sorry for her by the end – perhaps the uncomfortable feeling of her being unnecessarily punished is one of the reasons I didn’t enjoy the film more.
Ultimately it’s just Bad Santa, but not quite as good.
