Bad Teacher

Being a teacher takes a lot of responsibility. Parents expect teachers to educate their children in matters that they themselves cannot teach. Teachers are society's hope in molding children to become better members of society. We are expected to learn from them, and it is through teachings that we are able to find our strengths and weaknesses as students. But what if your teacher was Elizabeth Halsey?

Elizabeth Halsey was not your average teacher. For her, teaching became means to meet her end, a job to pass her time and to earn some cash. Her real goal in life: marry rich and retire. However, her plans were foiled when her fiancé officially ended her money-grubbing ways, forcing her to go back to the world of teaching. She has managed to convinced herself that the only way she was going to snag a rich man of her dreams is to have breast implants (so she can compete with women younger than her). The movie is basically focused on her schemes and tricks to get money - including that yearly bonus for the highest state scores.

While Elizabeth fits the title very well, you have to admit that she's determined to do whatever it takes to reach her goal. What makes the movie entertaining is that they don't give her moments to redeem herself, nor to have those life changing moments where she would revert her ways. No, in fact *spoiler* she gets away with it *end spoiler*. The movie doesn't give us the benefit to pass any judgment, that she might be soiling her students education and what not. It's basically 'Here she is. The worst, yet probably the most badass person you will ever have in your faculty, and she's going to win it all'. It won't be a comedy if we see her fail in her exploits, but she is still given some redeeming qualities about herself.

While it's not much of a tough role, Cameron Diaz seemed perfectly cast as the reckless teacher. She's always done a similar act to some of her roles, so it's not a difficult character to play. She's supported by the angelic yet crazy Lucy Punch (and I would have liked to know the incident they all kept referring to), and the laid back Jason Segel. Justin Timberlake had some very awkward scenes (and I'm still not buying him as actor). Phyllis Smith makes a good sidekick to Elizabeth's rash, wild, ways, as well as Eric Stonestreet. 

I've seen the trailer a couple of times before and it pegged the movie to be an iffy comedy, but it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. There were some laughs, sure. But if you're expecting comedy gold, this is not it.

Final Word: If you're not going to expect much from it, it can be funny. 

Cast: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake

Director: Jake Kasdan

Year: 2011