Bad Teacher - Even Worse Movie

The CVS I stopped at last night put in a new Redbox. Since there was nothing on TV I decided to get Bad Teacher.   I read what the critics had to say when it came out in theaters and because of those reviews I avoided the movie. I had NO expectations of this movie. Wait, that's not accurate.  I really like Jason Segal, I mostly like Justin Timberlake and have no real feelings about Cameron Diaz (it totally depends on the role for me).  I knew writers from The Office penned this film and The Office was a show that made me laugh on occasion (before I gave up on it that is).  So I did have a slight expectation that it would be a funny movie.  Funny is soooo not the right word.

I never laughed.  In the hour and a half it was on I didn't even crack a smile.  There were a couple of conversations or stand alone lines that were amusing but overall it left me with a whole lotta meh.  They had a stellar supporting cast made up of comedy veterans. Folks who have actually studied comedy. Jokes were flying all over the place and not one dang laugh exited my mouth.  They totally misused genius Lucy Punch as Cam's rival, Miss Squirrel.  They had a school full of kids which could have been comedy gold. Read Tracy's review.  She's totally right about the potential for hilarity between teachers and their students.  It touched on it but mostly chose to focus on how completely terrible a human being she is.

So the story is...Elizabeth Halsey is a lazy, gold-digging, awful person in search of someone to take care of her and her bills.  In order to land this man to pay for her life she decides she needs a rack to up her hotness from an 8 to a 10.  We then follow her for the next year on her journey of stealing and cheating in order to secure the money.  She gets away with murder and even returns to the school, sans new rack, to be a guidance counselor. Ugh. Ok, I didn't need her to learn a lesson for me to like this movie. She does change a tiny bit but it's unbelievable because we get no redeeming qualities at the outset of the film. 

I need, OK want, those shoes

Continuity and reality were an issue too.  The movie's 'powers that be' thought enough for her to lose the super hot Benz in exchange for a tiny beater. However they didn't think about how she's parading around in  wardrobe made up of clothes and shoes that are worth tons.  She could have sold just her shoe collection and had the money for the boob job.  I'm not kidding.  She wears a pair of YSL cage ankle boots (THAT I LOVE) that go for $1600 (or went for last season; now they're cheaper) . Most days she's in  various Louboutins and I think I even spotted a pair of Brian Atwoods. Further problems with reality or a lack thereof is what I like to refer to as the "rosebud effect."  Just like Citizen Kane, this movie should not have happened.  Based on early events, this story wouldn't take place.  No teacher could act the way she does and last a month let alone a full school year.  But instead we're supposed to accept every awful thing she does just so the movie can exist.

I need to just skip these movies that I had doubts about when they were in theaters. Typically when I go with my gut I'm safe.  Then again, there are the times where I want to see if a movie is as bad as they say it is.