Wonderful character development!

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Jason Bateman's "Bad Words" has a pretty intriguing plot, an adult entering a spelling bee through a loophole in the rules, and then wrecking havoc on the contest. I'm not sure there was enough material here for a feature film? The movie seems padded with unnecessary bouts of foul language, and sex scenes. This would have been an excellent sketch on "Saturday Night Live", but often loses momentum as a ninety minute movie. Also, for dark comedy to work, it needs to be outrageous, but not hurtful. Bateman's methods for getting rid of his competition really borders on sadism, rather than "black comedy". No doubt there are some good laughs to be had but, unfortunately often at the expense of children. - MERK

I saw this movie on at 3 a.m. after a long day. I figured I'd leave it on the TV while I drifted off to sleep on the couch. And maybe learn a few new spelling bee words through osmosis...That didn't happen.I was sucked in and had to see how this played out. I set my review to spoilers in case I give anything away though I'll try not to. There's a good deal of spot on reviews already posted so I'll give my summary of pros and cons;Pros 1) Jason Bateman's directing was an unexpected surprise. I thought he did a great job of keeping the pace and visual tone to a level that keeps the viewer interested despite the backdrop of a spelling bee.2) Jason Bateman and the kid's interactions - Jason's character is one of the most unlikeable, vulgar characters I've ever seen. Probably worse than Bad Santa due to the dexterity of his vocabulary. And his interactions with the Indian child aren't any cleaner or easier to absorb. Yet the child continues to take them with a smile and tries to befriend him regardless. Bateman's character warming up to the kid is predictable but has a few curves and is an enjoyable watch if your not offended by the 'Bad Words.'Cons 1) The relationship with the main character and the reporter that is trying to figure him out is unusual. She's interested in him as a story and as a lover, yet he really doesn't show any redeeming qualities toward her at anytime in the movie. Unless she's just a glutton for punishment with her own issues (which she apparently has if you've seen their sex scenes), this relationship makes less sense than Bad Santa and the bartender's.2) The big mystery behind his motivation for trying to win a spelling bee (in the most annoying and unusual fashion) is kind of a bust. Through Jason's interactions, it is easy to deduce his motive. His disdain for fathers, his lack of family and friends, his obsession with the spelling bee...I had it figured out pretty quick. While it doesn't hurt the movie too much as it doesn't negate the comedy or his interactions with the boy, the movie plays it like a huge surprise. It falls flat in that regard. But frankly once into the movie, I wasn't too concerned about his motivation as I was seeing how it all played out. In that regard I wasn't disappointed.3) The main character is just unlikeable to the point it's hard to believe he would garner any love interest from anyone or that any child would want to be his friend. It would take a perfect storm of damaged people or Gandhi-like patience for anyone to tolerate or want to be around him. Maybe that's the hardest part of the story to believe. He's a miserable person who wants to make everyone around him miserable. Sometimes it's hard to watch, but I had to remind myself it's just a movie. But some of his actions and words seem unnecessary and cruel.Overall, it got my interest and held onto it at 3 a.m. The plot and some of the relationships between the characters seem unlikely, but the journey and witty (if not offensive) dialogue make it worth the trip. If someone told me an offensive adult jerk joining a children's spelling bee would make for a good movie, I would not believe them; nor would I have envisioned the decent movie they've managed to create.

Review: This movie cracked me up! Guy Trilby (Jason Bateman) is blatantly rude to everyone, kids as well and the fact that he's a 40 year old man trying to win the Spelling Bee contest, which is full of kids, made this movie original and a great watch. While he's on the plane, making his way to the Golden Quill National spelling Bee contest, a ten year old kid keeps on bothering him because he wants to become his friend. No matter how rude Guy is to him, he still wants to be his friend so they end up building a buddy relationship, even though they have to challenge each other in the contest. Guy also has a journalist travelling with him because she wants to find out why he is entering these contests at such an old age. All of the parents are against him because he is so old but he was able to find a loophole in the rules so there is no way to exclude him from the contest. I really liked the buddy relationship with the 10 year old and Guy but it has to be his horrible attitude that cracked me up. When Guys true motivation comes out, it gives the movie a meaning but it didn't take away the comedy element that is throughout the film. It reminded me of Bad Teacher when Cameron Diaz was completely rude to the kids but this movie does have a meaning behind it and it's cleverly written. Anyway, if you want to watch a movie which is full of adult humour then this will definitely make you laugh. Enjoyable!Round-Up: This is the first movie directed by Jason Bateman, who also played the lead and it might have made a lose at the box office but I still think that it was a great achievement. His career started in 1981 were he starred in the Little House of the Prairie series and then he became a household name when he took the lead in Teenwolf Too in 1987. He then had roles in many TV series like Valerie, Simon and Chicago Sons and then he started to get some juicy roles for the big screen in movies like Starsky & Hutch, Dodgeball, the Break- Up, the Kingdom, Juno, Hancock, State of Play, Paul and Up in the Air. He's hasn't got that many tools in the box but he does have a unique comedic style which really worked in the Horrible Bosses franchise and the Change-Up which also starred Ryan Reynolds. His dry humour really worked in this film, especially the scenes when his with his little side kick but it's such a shame that this film might go under the radar. His next movie, the Family Fang, which stars Christopher Walken and Nicole Kidman, is a dramatic movie which will show a different side to Bateman acting skills, after starring in so many comedies. Although he has starred in a lot of movies, he hasn't done anything that has amazed the audiences yet but I'm sure that he will be up for an Oscar soon. Budget: $10million Worldwide Gross: $8millionI recommend this movie to people who are into their comedy/dramas about a 40 year old man who finds a loophole in the spelling bee contest which means that he can enter against young kids. 6/10

I love comedies, but to be quite honest seldom do I laugh out loud continuously through a film. Bad Words left me in stitches. It has "oh no they didn't go there" humor in spades. It's not the crassness or taboo breaking in and of it self that makes this a great comedy, it's the tongue in cheek cleverness of it all. It's fearless, smart, bad taste like an early John Waters film or Bad Santa. Jason Bateman sells the vile Guy Trilby role and the co star kid played by Rohan Chand is fantastic and really is the child prodigy he plays. The entire cast plays it straight enough to make the absurdity realistic and believable so the whole movie hangs together as a story as well as a laugh factory.