Tag: Arrested Development

Film Review: Bad Words

Charming, crude, and rudimentary.  R-U-D-I-M-E-N-T-A-R-Y.

Jason Bateman acts like a child. A naughty naughty child.
Jason Bateman acts like a child. A naughty naughty child.

(Click here to see my video interview with Jason Bateman)

There is something delightfully sadistic about taking an innocent and formal pastime such as the national spelling bee and flipping it on its head through vulgarity and unabashed crudeness.  Bad Words, which has already drawn comparisons to 2003’s Bad Santa, manages to find that coveted happy zone in which the audience can cheer on an antihero, even when the antihero engages in some truly despicable acts.  Star Jason Bateman, who also makes his film directorial debut with Bad Words, knew that a relatable lead character with a story to tell (and legit motive) would be just as important to the success of the film as the level of crudeness.  Hats off to Mr. Bateman for pulling it off, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else who could.

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Spinning Platters Interview: Jason Bateman, “Bad Words”

Jason Bateman makes his feature film directorial debut with the hysterically foul-mouthed Bad Words, in which he also stars as Guy Trilby, a forty-something disgruntled middle-school drop out who exploits a loophole in the rules guiding a national spelling bee in order to participate in the contest — but why?  There’s more than meets the eye in this black comedy, and I sat down with Mr. Bateman to discuss how Bad Words came to be…along with some other fun stuff while witnessing firsthand his trademark dry humor:

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Bad Words comes out in theaters March 14, 2014.

Spinning Platters Interview: Judy Greer on “The Descendants”

Judy Greer with Matthew Lillard in THE DESCENDANTS

The Descendants is a very strong contender for the best film of 2011. Directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, Election) from a script he co-wrote with Jim Rash (Dean Pelton from Community) and Nat Faxon, it tells the story of Matt King (George Clooney), a Hawaii lawyer whose life is turned upside down after his wife is left comatose following a jet-skiing accident. He attempts to rally their daughters, troubled teen Alexandra (Shailene Woodley in a revelatory performance) and tween Scottie (Amara King), but is devastated when Alexandra spitefully informs him their mother was having an affair. As his wife’s condition continues to deteriorate, Matt and his daughters embark on a journey of emotional discovery that eventually leads to Brian Speer (Matthew Lillard, in a surprisingly potent dramatic performance), the other man. It also leads to his wife, Julie, who is played by Judy Greer.

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