Bad Education

Name: Bad Education
Genre: Biography, Drama, Comedy, Crime
Released: April 25, 2020
Duration: 108 min
Rating: 79
Cast: Alex Wolff, Allison Janney, Annaleigh Ashford, Calvin Coakley, Catherine Curtin

2020

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 94 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 94 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

HBO | Release Date (Streaming): April 25, 2020 | TV-MA

Starring: Alex Wolff, Allison Janney, Annaleigh Ashford, Calvin Coakley, Catherine Curtin, Geraldine Viswanathan, Hugh Jackman, Jimmy Tatro, Justin Swain, Kathrine Narducci, Kayli Carter, Pat Healy, Ray Romano, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Stephen Spinella, Sung Yun Cho, Welker White

Summary: Long Island school superintendent Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) and his assistant superintendent for business, Pam Gluckin (Allison Janney), are credited with bringing Roslyn School District unprecedented prestige. Frank, always immaculately groomed and tailored, is a master of positive messaging, whether before an audience of communityLong Island school superintendent Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) and his assistant superintendent for business, Pam Gluckin (Allison Janney), are credited with bringing Roslyn School District unprecedented prestige. Frank, always immaculately groomed and tailored, is a master of positive messaging, whether before an audience of community leaders or in an office with a concerned student or parent. In short, it seems Frank can do no wrong. That is, until a plucky student reporter (Geraldine Viswanathan) decides to dig deep into some expense reports and begins to uncover an embezzlement scheme of epic proportions, prompting Frank to devise an elaborate cover-up — by any means necessary. [TIFF]… Expand

Director: Cory Finley

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Comedy, Crime

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 108 min

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Critic Reviews

Alissa Wilkinson

Apr 24, 2020

Where the film really sings — aside from its often darkly funny writing and surprisingly thrilling take on what could have been a dull bureaucratic scandal — is in tracing the effects of the pressures placed on administrators and faculty. Read full review

Jake Coyle

Apr 30, 2020

It’s Tassone’s perspective that Finley largely keeps to, which — if you don’t know the true story — lets Bad Education unspool if not surprisingly at least captivatingly. Read full review

Polygon Tasha Robinson

May 19, 2020

This isn’t a movie about car chases and explosions, it’s about the squirmy but satisfying feeling of watching justice done, and it’s a pleasure to watch the pieces fall into place. Read full review

Ben Kenigsberg

Apr 23, 2020

It’s Jackman, whose smile appears increasingly wolfish as the film goes on (and as Frank’s face grows taut with cosmetic surgery), who ultimately owns Bad Education. It’s a plum part, sure, but also a deeply unsympathetic one — a chance for the actor to channel his charisma toward dark, mischievous ends. Read full review

Hank Stuever

Apr 24, 2020

Such stories of quiet malfeasance never get old. No matter how lovely and admired the neighborhood lawns may be, the idea that there’s a snake or two in the grass hasn’t lost its narrative potency — even now, in an era of constant, top-down deceit. Read full review

Steven Scaife

Apr 25, 2020

Rather than a simplistic, straightforward parable of greed, Bad Education depicts its true events with a surprising amount of depth and ambiguity. Read full review

The Guardian Benjamin Lee

Sep 10, 2019

It’s a slight movie at times, unfocused at others, even plodding in parts, and I didn’t leave the cinema entirely convinced that it was the most satisfying way to tell this particular story but I did leave feeling confident in both Jackman’s prowess and Finley’s promise, yet to be fully realised. Read full review

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User Reviews

Kazeem

Apr 27, 2020

My Best movie ever, My love for this movie is extremely high
I rate it 10/10

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Kjulka

Sep 26, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A great eye opening movie, which shows you that if you’re not watching, how schools have so much control over tax payer money, and how it’s being mismanaged. I’m sure this is not the first school we’re this happened, it’s probably happening at many others. We the tax payers need to watch out. Things are no longer how they use to be.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

lvmnz

Apr 26, 2020

Hugh Jackman is great. Highly entertaining and introspective film about the central figures in a shocking scandal.

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

Davrosdaleks1

Apr 26, 2020

This HBO movie is based on a real event where a prestigious public school district was struck by an embezzlement scandal. This was a well put-together film.

This was an interesting character study into those who betray their positions. Director Cory Finley does a great job here. This is oneThis HBO movie is based on a real event where a prestigious public school district was struck by an embezzlement scandal. This was a well put-together film.

This was an interesting character study into those who betray their positions. Director Cory Finley does a great job here. This is one of those films where all the edits and shots are so well planned.

Hugh Jackman as the superintendent gives what might be the best performance of his career and lifts every scene he is in. He is so nuanced in this and can say so much from just a facial expression.

Be forewarned that this is a deliberately paced film. The movie does a good job of building the characters out to be three-dimensional, but some might find this slow-paced. Also, be forewarned that the scenes of the characters' personal lives aren't quite as juicy as when the movie is addressing the crimes.

Overall, I say give this a shot.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brent_Marchant

Mar 7, 2021

Despite a slow opening, this fact-based tale about the largest school funding embezzlement case in US history manages to get on track about 30 minutes in and runs with it from there to its gripping conclusion. Director Cory Finley's second outing, a made-for-cable offering nominated for anDespite a slow opening, this fact-based tale about the largest school funding embezzlement case in US history manages to get on track about 30 minutes in and runs with it from there to its gripping conclusion. Director Cory Finley's second outing, a made-for-cable offering nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for best screenplay, features strong performances by Allison Janney, Ray Romano and Hugh Jackman (easily a career best) in bringing the material to life with snappy wit, unbridled guile, and the well-honed, carefully camouflaged skills of slick sociopaths. While the picture's overall tone could use a better balance in its mix of comedy and drama, more back story, and improved handling of some of its ancillary story threads, this production nevertheless delivers the goods, providing viewers with a solidly entertaining package.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarkHReviews

Apr 28, 2020

With 2017’s “Thoroughbreds,” Director Cory Finley announced that he has a fresh perspective and a gift for dark comedy that make him a new face well worth following. It’s because of that promise, in part, that “Bad Education” seems so disappointing.

This film follows the true story ofWith 2017’s “Thoroughbreds,” Director Cory Finley announced that he has a fresh perspective and a gift for dark comedy that make him a new face well worth following. It’s because of that promise, in part, that “Bad Education” seems so disappointing.

This film follows the true story of school superintendent Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) and his associate Pam Gluckin (Allison Janney). Over a period of years, the pair turned the Roslyn School District in Long Island, New York, into their personal piggy bank. Overall, $11.2 million went missing, the largest theft from a school district in American history. Screenwriter Mike Makowsky attended Roslyn High School in the years following this story’s unraveling and personally observed the consequences.

One of the fascinating quirks is that the fraud and embezzlement were not discovered by professional journalists but by a group of reporters from the student newspaper. In the film, this student-led effort is personified as a single character, Rachel Bhargava (Geraldine Viswanathan).

This story offers a rich vein of material for a dark comedy, a quirky character study or both. Frank Tassone was revered for bringing the school district to national prominence. He fended off the advances of the district’s more voracious ex-wives by claiming that the death of a wife many years ago was still “too fresh.” In reality, Tassone had at least two male partners. One he ensconced in a Park Avenue apartment. The other was a 32-year-old male dancer in Las Vegas. A fastidious dresser, Tassone justified his $30,000 expenditure for dry cleaning by explaining patiently that the expenses took place “over a period of years.” As the noose begins to tighten, so does Frank’s face, thanks to a district-funded visit to a cosmetic surgeon.

Finley and Makowsky take little advantage of this wealth of material. While Jackman and Janney are powerful in their respective roles, Act One is very slow-moving. What’s unpardonable is that there’s no meaningful exploration of these characters, who are practically begging to be better understood. There’s the intimation that school personnel may resent the sense of entitlement of the wealthy families in the school district. There’s the suggestion that this was all a slippery slope that began when a $20 sandwich ended up on the district’s credit card by mistake. But the viewer is left mystified about why these people did what they did (character development, anyone?).

There are some laugh-out-loud moments along the way. After being confronted with her crimes, Janney’s character tearfully says, “I’m ashamed of my actions. I’m ashamed of myself… There’s no excuse for it.” To which Ray Romano’s school board chair replies earnestly, “Well… the sociopathy.”

If this film were a high school essay, it would have been returned for lack of analytical thought.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Mauro_Lanari

Sep 30, 2020

(Mauro Lanari)
Someone steals, maybe for sociopathy. So what's new? If everybody steals, why just condemn someone? A partial justice is worse than injustice. Yay with the hunt for the scapegoat.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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