By: Holley Sinn

Verdict: Denied

 All spring there was buzz that Cameron Diaz was crossing over into full-fledged "raunch" territory with her role as Elizabeth Halsey in "Bad Teacher".  The tall, leggy blonde best known for roles as ditzy, innocent cheerleader types was going "bad", and we were going to be blown away by her capacity for disgusting behavior and nasty language.  It's a formula that has worked before, but typically with male leads...films like "Superbad" and "The Hangover" are heavily saturated with profanity and what I like to call "potty and nude-y humor".  However, the reason those films work so well is that we expect that kind of behavior from those characters.  Their language doesn't feel forced - it is simply a product of their normal dialogue.  For Ms. Diaz, that simply isn't the case.  Shoving hot dogs into her grill and smoking the profound herb simply doesn't jive with our expectations.  Nor do the rampant "F bombs".  This movie is just weird....in so very many ways.  

Cameron Diaz plays Elizabeth Halsey, a golddigger whose plan to quit her teaching job to marry a millionaire is thwarted when he discovers she has been spending all of his money.  Forced to go back to teaching, Elizabeth makes it her mission to find a rich husband, a quest made easier by the addition of Justin Timberlake's Scott Delacourt to the teaching team.  Scott comes from money, and when Elizabeth discovers that he appreciates well endowed women, she decides to do everything she can to raise money for a breast augmentation.  However, the gym teacher, Russell, played by Jason Segel, likes her just the way she is...foul-mouthed, lazy, drug addicted and small-chested.

Elizabeth's nemesis throughout the film is a perky, perfectionist teacher named Amy Squirrel, played by Lucy Punch who not only criticizes Elizabeth's lackluster teaching style but manages to steal Scott out from under her.  Thwarted by Elizabeth at every turn, Amy makes desperate attempts at getting her hot, blonde colleague fired...tattling on her to the principal on every available occasion.  Elizabeth sees a fantastic opportunity for raising her breast money when she is made aware of a bonus awarded to the teacher whose students have the highest state test grades.  She first tries employing militaristic teaching strategies, but ultimately her only option for success is to steal the answer key.   All the while, Amy and Scott have grown closer, and Russell refuses to give up the fight for Elizabeth's attention.  

"Bad Teacher" has moments, but they are few and far between.  Almost all of them include Jason Segel whose sweet, stoner gym teacher is the only likeable character in the entire cast.   It is difficult to root for Elizabeth, despite the fact that she is brutally honest with her students, a facet of her personality that they seem to like.  However, in general, no adult who is actually holding a job is quite as rude as Elizabeth...in real life, there is no way anyone would give this woman a teaching job.  Plus, Amy Squirrel is off-putting to say the very least, and Justin Timberlake's character is just flat out bizarre.  This is evidenced best in his "love" scene with former girlfriend Diaz which is equal parts disturbing and ridiculous.   

 "Bad Teacher" might not be classified as "bad movie", but I think one could safely call it "below average" or "sub-par".  However, if you cannot resist the charms of Ms. Diaz or Mr. Timberlake, then you should know that it is rated "R" for drug use, adult content and language, and it is now playing in theaters all over the bay area.