Bad Words - a review by Camilo Arenivar

Jason Bateman directs and stars in this dark comedy about revenge gone to a very far extreme. He plays Guy Trilby, a 40 year old who has found a loophole in the esteemed Golden Quill spelling bee that allows him to enter.  He does so to the resentment and anger of everyone from 10 year olds to a multitude of parents and annoyed Spelling Bee officials.  At the same time, he is being sponsored by a journalist who is trying to find out more about him and why he is doing this.

This movie is not horrible or even terribly bad, it just does not have any qualities that make me able to say, "oh yeah, you should go see it".  Unless you are a big Jason Bateman fan or like dark comedies or raunchy humor mostly made at the expense of kids or their parents. Is it funny? At times. Is it cute? Definitely. Is it filthy and totally wrong? At times, and in a way that is when it excels. When it is being irreverent and hilarious. Maybe it's because I don't have kids I can find these really crazy scenes funny.  Those sensitive to "bad words" and inappropriate things for kids to be doing (like drinking alcohol and looking at hooker breasts) may definitely want to steer clear of this movie. You've got to have a really naughty sense of humor to enjoy this. Nowhere near as hilarious as last year's "Were The Millers", it is still pretty damn funny at times despite an off and on again pace.  Fortunately it is only an hour and a half.

My suggestion is it might be best to wait for DVD...but if anything I've written strikes your fancy, you should definitely check it out then. Rated R for language and sex. And it has kids in it! You can either find it funny or be appalled. Only you know you.