Friday, August 21, 2015

THE BAD EDUCATION MOVIE

THE BAD EDUCATION MOVIE is that rarest of things - a successful big screen adaptation of a really good TV show. In fact, it equals THE INBETWEENERS is translating the unique comic vibe of the TV show, and also, frankly, in nicking the concept of taking a schoolshow on a school vacation.

As in the TV show, stand-up comedian Jack Whitehall plays the ridiculously posh but ineffectual high school teacher Alfie Wickers.  The first twenty minutes sees Wickers take his motley crew of students on a legit school trip to Amsterdam in which the humour is gross, puerile and involves disgraceful shit happening at the Anne Frank museum. As with THE INBETWEENERS, viewers of a sensible disposition need not apply. Anyways, that helps create the plot twist in which Whickers is no longer allowed to chaperone school trips unless he goes to Cornwall and takes the fun-killing Joanna Scanlan as well. Nonetheless, the kids manage to find a local pub and Whickers ends up being mistaken for a member of the Cornish Liberation Army. Cue lots of jokes about the misogynistic in-bred yokels as led by Iain Glen.  The good news it that the writers poke fun at the posh oiks who buy expensive holiday homes on the coast too - and you get to see the heart of the show as well as the low-rent jokes.  After all, BAD EDUCATION has always been about how Whickers never really fitted in with his posh friends, and so was desperate for the friendship of his way cooler pupils. 

There's nothing not to like in this film. It's silly, occasionally very pointed in its social satire, and romps along to a highly satisfying conclusion.  One could also quite easily watch this with no prior knowledge of the show, although I'd be surprised if it worked outside the UK.

The movie is on release in the UK and Ireland. It has a running time of 90 minutes and is rated 15.

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