Bad Words (2013)

Directed by: Jason Bateman
Country: USA

Movie Review: Jason Bateman directs (for the very first time) and stars in the insubordinate, yet ultimately flat comedy, “Bad Words”, picking up a story by the newcomer screenwriter Andrew Dodge. Guy Trilby (Bateman) is an impertinent, deceitful and mouthy 40 year-old eighth grade dropout who possesses a soul of a brat, expelling bad words everywhere and behaving like a hooligan. He had everyone astonished after qualify himself for a national children’s spelling bee, where his most direct opponent, Chaitanya Chopra () of only 10 years old, unexpectedly becomes a very special friend. The film also focuses in Guy’s casual relationship with a female reporter who found who his dad was. Causing the parents’ wrath and booed in his interventions throughout the competition, Guy takes us to the extremely predictable final duel, making extreme decisions that completely adulterate the rules of the contest. A film relying on words shouldn’t have been so inarticulate, and still the posture adopted just shocked for the worst reasons. In truth, there’s absolutely nothing we can learn from this trivial exercise that offers successive goofy situations created by an obnoxious character whose friendships don’t seem genuine. Too childish to be valued by adults, and too inappropriate to be seen by kids, “Bad Words” falls in the category of the most uninspired comedies of the year.