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Jason Bateman’s directorial debut is all about the power of words, and it employs all kinds of them! Bateman stars as Guy Trilby, a forty-something year old man who – through a loophole in the rule book – competes in spelling bees against children. He is crass, obnoxious and has no issue with swearing in front of children…or suggesting that he has been intimate with their mothers.
Trilby’s main target is the Golden Quill spelling bee, a prestigious event overseen by the stiff Dr. Bearnice Deagan (Allison Janney) and founded by spelling bee legend Dr. Bowman (Philip Baker Hall). Accompanying Trilby on his road to the Golden Quill is Jenny Widgeon (Kathryn Hahn) a journalist for a small online paper who sees in him a fascinating human interest story. Unfortunately Trilby isn’t one to open up about his feelings, and Widgeon struggles to discover his motives, even when she resorts to “unorthodox” interview techniques.
It’s only through the eyes of Chaitanya Chopra (Rohand Chand)] that we see some of Trilby’s good side. Dealing with a pressuring father and a lack of friends, the young boy is quickly enamored by the potty-mouthed adult. Trilby slowly softens to the precocious youngster, leading up to an emotional showdown at the Golden Quill.
Bad Words is a simple premise executed well by the first time feature director. The film owes its roots to that sub-genre of dark comedy in which a despicable protagonist is eventually redeemed by the innocence of a child (its closest predecessor is probably Bad Santa). For those who enjoy a slightly sinister slant to their comedy (which I do) there is a lot to enjoy in the film.
Jason Bateman is interesting to watch playing slightly off-type as the abrasive Trilby, but it’s Chand who steals the show. The young actor – who audiences may recognize from Homeland or Lone Survivor – matches Bateman’s comic timing wonderfully, and his saucer-like eyes seem to forgive you each time you laugh at one of the film’s many off-colour jokes. The rest of the cast do serviceable jobs but are largely abandoned in the film’s second half. Hahn and Janney are such enjoyable screen presences that it’s odd both their characters barely get a concluding scene.
In fact the film’s conclusion is its weakest point. As Trilby’s story veers away from revenge and towards redemption it all becomes something we’ve seen before. It would have been nice to see Bateman and screenwriter Andrew Dodge (also his first feature film) try something new with the story. Instead, when Trilby’s motives are laid bare, the ends just don’t seem to justify the means.
Nevertheless Bad Words is an enjoyable experience, and a very funny film for those with less delicate sensibilities. It is refreshing to watch a comedy that chooses a simple premise and develops it effectively. Compared to the mess that was Anchorman 2 (on DVD April 1st) Bad Words is a startlingly small film, and yet it feels correct – like the way a good short story is often more enjoyable than an epic novel.
Bateman chose the perfect film for his directorial debut, and it makes me look forward to his future work. Always an engaging presence in front of the camera, directorial works are a better showcase of the actor’s high comedy IQ. Bad Words is smart, focused, and delivers the laughs – I’d call it a solid bee plus.
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