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Year One
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Teaching Mrs. Tingle

Generally unfavorable reviews
Based on 32 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 7 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Suspense/Thriller
Written by: Kevin Williamson
Directed by: Kevin Williamson
Release Date:
Theatrical: August 20, 1999
DVD: December 21, 1999
Running Time: 96 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: PG-13 for thematic content, violence, sexuality, language and some teen drinking
Starring Helen Mirren, Katie Holmes, Barry Watson, Marisa Coughlin, Vivica A. Fox, Jeffrey Tambor, and Molly Ringwald
All her life Leigh Ann Watson (Holmes) has done the right thing. Her only ticket out of town is the one scholarship that goes to her school's top student. All she needs is an "A" in history. There's just one problem: Mrs. Tingle, the history teacher who for 20 years has terrorized the students of Grandsboro High. (Dimension Films)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
LA Weekly Ernest Hardy
A dark, biting comedy-- funny, smart and full of unpredictable twist and turns.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
In his knockout directorial debut writer Kevin Williamson taps into such universal memories with his shrewd and energetic dark comedy.
Read Full Review >Dallas Observer Bill Gallo
Flecked with delicious malice, and the kids, especially newcomer Coughlin, performs with verve and high energy.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
Not surprisingly, the best thing on the screen is Mirren.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea
Williamson's screenplay doesn't match the cleverness of his conceit; it lacks the requisite archness and wit.
Read Full Review >Newsweek Ted Gideonse
There are some very funny moments, and Coughlan is a delight as Leigh Anne's best friend.
Read Full Review >Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard
Wholly predictable and implausible plotting, thin characterizations, and stilted dialogue.
Read Full Review >USA Today Susan Wloszczyna
Mirren is about the only reason this slow-moving revenge tale tingles at all.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jami Bernard
Very much a freshman effort, lacking focus, edge.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Mark Caro
The same bland vision of teendom that's become inescapable on the small and big screens.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman
A derisively vicious show-off satire, a plastic exercise in authority bashing.
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian Diana Abu-Jaber
The tone of the film malingers somewhere between hyper-real comedy and thriller, but neither element really shines through.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov
Williamson's directorial debut is a sad affair, devoid of shocks, surprises, or even his clever trademark diologue.
Read Full Review >Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir
A wildly uneven and sloppily directed movie, full of clashing tones and undigested bits of superior films.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Elvis Mitchell
Newly benign and noticeably clumsier than the hits (Williamson) has written.
Read Full Review >Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman
Williamson deals mostly in cliches, as if high schoolers weren't smart enough to appreciate anything subtler.
Read Full Review >New York Post Jonathan Foreman
An ugly, failed attempt to pull off a "Heathers"-style, teen-oriented black comedy.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
There is nothing funny about the situation in Teaching Mrs. Tingle.
Read Full Review >Variety Dennis Harvey
A pat, hollow exercises with few tricks (or treats) up its sleeve.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Dennis Lim
Yet another black comedy that misunderstands and misrepresents the genre.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle
Williamson's script, which he also directed, is spiteful and shallow.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Examiner Wesley Morris
An infuriatingly indulgent piffle of adolescent wish-fulfillment.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Ann Hornaday
A mean-hearted, ham-handed and gratuitous effort to exploit it's teenage audience's conviction that, underneath it all, their teachers really. do hate them.
Read Full Review >TNT RoughCut Christopher Brandon
One of the worst movies released this year.
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 9.8 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Brad L. gave it a10:
If u haven't seen it, u have missed a lot.
Sonja W. gave it a10:
I like this movie!!!
David W. gave it a 9:
So underrated, and Williamson is a wonderful writer.
Eric von D. gave it a 10:
Spectacular with twist and turns on mind games that will show the real irony in this movie.
