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jmovies
Let's Call It A Bromance
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:22 pm
Posts: 12333
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 Bad Words Bad Words Quote: Bad Words is a 2013 American black comedy film directed by Jason Bateman and written by Andrew Dodge. Marking Bateman's directorial debut, the film stars Bateman as a middle-aged middle school dropout who enters the National Quill Spelling Bee. It also stars Allison Janney, Rachael Harris, Phillip Baker Hall, and Kathryn Hahn.
The film premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2013, and is scheduled to have a limited release in the United States on March 14, 2014.
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| Fri Mar 21, 2014 3:02 pm |
 
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David
Pure Phase
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am
Posts: 34865
Location: Maryland
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Re: Bad Words Neither a great film nor an awful one, Bad Words, the directorial debut of Jason Bateman, does not indicate a bright future for the gifted comic actor behind the camera. In the general vein of Bad Santa and Bad Teacher, the storyline turns on Guy, a volatile man in his forties who, for a closely guarded reason, decides to capitalize on an obscure loophole to compete in children's spelling bees. It is a decision which inspires rage among the other competitors, their parents, and the educators in charge, and their concern only intensifies as he continues to advance toward the championship. Unspectacular is the most apt description of Bad Words. A few of the comic set pieces and profane one-liners connect, but the film never engaged me on a level more complicated or profound than halfhearted amusement. And the predictable third-act transition from vulgarity to pop-psychological sentimentality (the protagonist's heart is softened and his troubled childhood explained) is unconvincing bordering on disingenuous.
C
I know this is "just a comedy," but I wish the main character's borderline supernatural ability to spell any word, however long and obscure, without even a moment's hesitation were explored. There is a brief mention of photographic memory, but still. The film's spelling-bee sequences might be more interesting if there were a sense he at least might spell a word wrong.
_________________   1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game
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| Fri Mar 21, 2014 9:06 pm |
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Libs
Sbil
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm
Posts: 48626
Location: Arlington, VA
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Re: Bad Words Fitfully amusing in a mean-spirited way, the very slight Bad Words ultimately falls a bit flat with its dramatic arc. An average debut for Jason Bateman as a director: coulda been better, coulda been worse. C+
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| Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:31 pm |
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publicenemy#1
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 12:25 am
Posts: 18877
Location: San Diego
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Re: Bad Words amusing, and Jason Bateman is enjoyable but the movie is wildly uneven. the revelation at the end isn't as effective as it should've been.
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| Thu Mar 27, 2014 12:59 am |
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Algren
now we know
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:31 pm
Posts: 67041
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Re: Bad Words Bad Words
I enjoyed this. Jason Bateman is great in these roles, and the language used here is explicit enough to make me laugh.
B
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| Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:55 am |
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Johnny Dollar
The Lubitsch Touch
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:48 pm
Posts: 11019
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Re: Bad Words Its really flat and Bateman the director does not know from pacing.
Rests firmly between "passable I guess" and "waste of an afternoon"
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| Mon Apr 07, 2014 3:21 pm |
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Magic Mike
Wallflower
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:53 am
Posts: 34876
Location: Minnesota
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Re: Bad Words I'm glad I ended up going to see this. Almost let the mediocre WOM sway me. I thought it was really quite funny. Enjoyed it a lot. I prefer it to Bad Santa. Yeah I know, I'm crazy  . 8/10 (B+)
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| Wed Apr 09, 2014 12:53 pm |
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jmovies
Let's Call It A Bromance
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:22 pm
Posts: 12333
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Re: Bad Words Bateman is fine as usual and the story is passable enough. One of those comedies that if it's on TV and I have nothing else to do, I'll watch it for a bit.
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| Sat Oct 18, 2014 12:06 pm |
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