Bad Words

Name: Bad Words
Genre: Comedy
Released: March 14, 2014
Duration: 89 min
Rating: 57
Cast: Allison Janney, Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Rohan Chand

2014

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Mixed or average reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 135 Ratings

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6.3

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 135 Ratings

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Bad Words

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Movie Details & Credits

Focus Features | Release Date: March 14, 2014 | R

Starring: Allison Janney, Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Rohan Chand

Summary: Guy Trilby (Jason Bateman), a 40-year-old who finds a loophole in the rules of The Golden Quill national spelling bee, decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition. Contest officials, outraged parents, and overly ambitious 8th graders are no match for Guy, as he ruthlessly crushes their dreams of victory and fame. As a reporterGuy Trilby (Jason Bateman), a 40-year-old who finds a loophole in the rules of The Golden Quill national spelling bee, decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition. Contest officials, outraged parents, and overly ambitious 8th graders are no match for Guy, as he ruthlessly crushes their dreams of victory and fame. As a reporter (Kathryn Hahn) attempts to discover his true motivation, Guy finds himself forging an unlikely alliance with a competitor: awkward 10-year-old Chaitanya (Rohan Chand), who is completely unfazed by Guy's take-no-prisoners approach to life. [Focus Features]… Expand

Director: Jason Bateman

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 89 min

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Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

Mar 12, 2014

Bateman deserves props for sustaining Bad Words as a little balancing act between sulfurously funny hatred and humanity. Read full review

Peter Rainer

Mar 14, 2014

Bad Words does to spelling bees what “Bad Santa” did to Santa Claus. Read full review

Steve Persall

Mar 20, 2014

Bad Words isn't an entirely auspicious beginning to Bateman's career behind the camera, but a riotous performance suggests what a wonderful louse he can be. Read full review

Stephanie Merry

Mar 20, 2014

Although his character might be a one-trick pony, Bateman’s directing proves he’s got skills to spare. Read full review

Joshua Rothkopf

Mar 11, 2014

Bad Words soars in the bits of riotously offensive chitchat between Guy and a young Indian hopeful (Rohan Chand); it wobbles in plot developments involving the effortlessly starchy Allison Janney as the contest’s “queen bee”; and it splats in the I’m-secretly-hurting conclusion. Read full review

Richard Corliss

Mar 13, 2014

Bad Words seems to be heading into the creepy realm of a sociopath’s case study, yet it’s presented as a breezy satire about a rebel against the system. It must be the Dictionary-Industrious Complex. Read full review

The Playlist Kevin Jagernauth

Sep 14, 2013

Bad Words wants so desperately to be funny that there isn't much time left to make any logic out of the story. Read full review

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User Reviews

Compi24

Apr 6, 2014

Unfathomably well-trained direction and unceremoniously entertaining all throughout, Jason Bateman's directorial debut "Bad Words" is an ingenious, hilarious, and even occasionally heartwarming masterwork.

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

Pimpinpakman

Mar 28, 2014

This movie will easily offend anyone and everyone so dont go watch it if you are offended by racist and misogynistic jokes because they will be there in great numbers. But if you can stomach the jokes and take it as comedy then you will have yourself a good time. We laughed a lot in theThis movie will easily offend anyone and everyone so dont go watch it if you are offended by racist and misogynistic jokes because they will be there in great numbers. But if you can stomach the jokes and take it as comedy then you will have yourself a good time. We laughed a lot in the movie and most of the jokes are actually targeting south asian people (like me lol) but like i said, if you take it as a comedy and not personally then you will have yourself a good time. If not, then avoid it.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

LamontRaymond

Mar 16, 2014

Bad words is a really fun little movie, one that I laughed very hard in. Bateman is absolutely hilarious with his deadpan insults, and I enjoyed his interaction with a little Indian kid. As always Kathryn Hahn is awesome, but I wish her character and her motivation were flushed out a bitBad words is a really fun little movie, one that I laughed very hard in. Bateman is absolutely hilarious with his deadpan insults, and I enjoyed his interaction with a little Indian kid. As always Kathryn Hahn is awesome, but I wish her character and her motivation were flushed out a bit more. Her sex scene is by far the best in the movie. For an uproarious movie of this kind, it seemed that the basic plot underpinnings, the reason he went through with this spelling bee, is just a little bit strained and depressing and I think the writers probably could've been a better job in providing him with motivation.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

LeZee

Jul 8, 2015

Good lie, bad words and ugly truth.

I thought it was Cliff Curtis' movie because that's whom I saw in one of the posters. Anyway, it's Jason Bateman's movie, which is also his first directional venture. A refreshing theme because only a very few movies were made based on the spelling beeGood lie, bad words and ugly truth.

I thought it was Cliff Curtis' movie because that's whom I saw in one of the posters. Anyway, it's Jason Bateman's movie, which is also his first directional venture. A refreshing theme because only a very few movies were made based on the spelling bee contest, but this one was a bit messed up story narration. Most of the narrative looked so pale and dull. It is supposed to be an exciting storytelling with blistering pace.

You know, stories in the movies happen with a backdrop of the reasons. Like a piece of uninteresting wood carved into a something that attracts everybody. Some movie holds it till the end to reveal that beauty in the form of a twist, but some won't mind explaining it along the way. In this movie, what they had for the twist was lifeless, boring one, more like a cliché from the older days flick.

The boy from the movie 'Jack and Jill' was decent. I felt some material in the movie was inappropriate regarding a minor in one of the lead roles. But I know the title clearly suggests it is only for adults. Understandable that the writer wanted to give something new, but he could not get it right. Maybe lacked to bring some interesting and inspiring elements. What surprised me was, it was not either for commercial benefit nor a fine art piece.

All the way I knew something was not clinching and finally found out the approach to portray the main character in the negative mode had to do with something. They wanted the viewers to go against him and well, they got it in a way. Interestingly the screenplay was from the 'Black List' which was untouched for almost 10 years. Unfortunately Bateman decided to give it a try and the result is,... Here I'm with not satisfied fully, but okay-okay movie for being at least something different.

6/10… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

BradySmith

Oct 18, 2014

Sometimes amusing, almost always vulgar, and extremely immoral; Bad Words contains shock value by the ton, but it won't stick with you very long, and it's rarely laugh out loud funny. Bateman's character is one outrageously unrestrained person. You can't really think of anyone who'd playSometimes amusing, almost always vulgar, and extremely immoral; Bad Words contains shock value by the ton, but it won't stick with you very long, and it's rarely laugh out loud funny. Bateman's character is one outrageously unrestrained person. You can't really think of anyone who'd play him better. Most of his schemes though are too mean spirited to be funny. Instead they just make you angry. The movie ends alright, and the young Indian kid who serves as Guy's sidekick is a funny character, but there's simply no boundaries with this movie. Soon Guy is taking him to bars, sneaking him alcoholic drinks, and having him cavort with prostitutes. The movie throws away all of its potential trying to shock out laughs, when it is merely being disgusting instead.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

TJK22

Apr 7, 2014

Bad Words might offer a few laughs, but it also gives us some of the most annoying characters ever put on screen, and a weak story. Like I said the humor can have its moments, but it's mostly racist or mean jokes. I can't give Bad Words any more credit then that.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Tone01

Dec 26, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There's certainly plenty of room for comedy in our lives; whether a co-worker telling a joke, a TV show or film. Some comedy is universal. Some highly personal. That's why some comedians prosper in lengthy careers while others flounder and take that long, lonely trip to obscurity.

Then there's edge. In the right hands it is quite effective (like "Bad Santa" and most of "Bad Grandpa"). In the wrong hands - like these filmmakers - the result is gratuitous wallowing in ego with the belief you're right and everyone else doesn't know what's funny; The 'I Hate Myself But You're Not Cool If You Don't Like This School.' Edge without an equally effective counterbalance results in pure vileness. There you have it!

To the point. "Bad Words" is a cringe-inducing, the opposite of funny, misogynistic, misanthropic, self-loathing, racist piece of crap not suitable for human consumption presented to potential viewers on an ugly platter as a comedy.

The ubercontrived story, if you care, follows an 8th grade dropout seeking a spelling bee prize in competition against wunderkinds seeking same. His agenda lies in reaching the father who abandoned him, and who just happens to hold office as head of the spelling bee. You were spared 90 minutes of time you could have used watching paint dry - a more amusing pursuit.

High, or more appropriate, low points include: placing ketchup on a young girl's chair then congratulating her for menstruating to shame her out of the contest; leading a 10 year old kid to a bar and sneaking drinks to him under the bar then hiring a prostitute to expose her breasts to him; calling a fellow Indian contestant (the Bar kid) every possible racist term used for the race; whispering to another contestant that panties Bateman hides in his pocket belong to his mother and are a post-coital gift; telling off an angry mother by noting the flexibility of her vagina - in front of the kid. And that's just a bit of the awfulness.

Jason Bateman's co-conspirator is Kathryn Hahn; a reporter filing a story on why a 40 year old is in a kid's competition. Her portrayal of repulsion/attraction to this Peter Pan (she allows him to have sex with her but doesn't allow him look at her) is creepy. The funny she brought to the (at least) semi-bearable "We're The Millers" was wrung from her every cell here. And she's the best thing in this alleged film, one that can not be elevated even by the venerable character actor Philip Baker Hall and the wonderful Allison Janey (who is accused of being Gay and asked who wears the strapon).

Indie film has moments of brilliance. Outside Studio constraints courageous stories sometimes flourish. Some might call "Bad Words" courageous as it's unapologetic. Perhaps, but it is just not funny. More disturbing is the targets of this particularly nasty humor are pre-teen children. But, if schadenfreude is your thing... watch "The Three Stooges." (It's doubtful those who enjoy "Bad Words" have a clue about either.)

Bateman is a funny guy. His work on "Arrested Development" and other TV shows and films is excellent. The best one could hope is no one will ever let him Direct again, and that the screenwriter suffer some experience leading him to an epiphany to reflect on what he's dumping on the world.

Actually, the best outcome is all traces of this film are E-X-P-U-N-G-E-D from the planet.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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