Bad Words
2013 · Movie · R · 89 min · ★ 6.4 · 62% critics
A 40-year-old misanthrope enters a national spelling bee through a loophole in the rules, turning a kids’ competition into a bitter, disruptive challenge. As he navigates the contest, a reporter tries to uncover why he’s really there, while young contestants respond in surprising ways.
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Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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Details
- Years
- 2013
- Release date
- 2013-09-06
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Critic score
- 62/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.4/10 (902 votes)
About
If you enjoy weird, edgy comedies built around an adult in over his head, Bad Words can hit the mark; Not for you if you dislike crude humor or find child-centered setups hard to watch, and it’s a different vibe from Horrible Bosses and Game Night.
Pros: sharp dark comedy; standout performances; fast-paced fun | Cons: crass humor may offend; uneven plotting; mean-spirited moments
Themes
- competition
- satire
- spelling bee
- unlikely friendship
- anger issues
Cast & crew
Jason Bateman
as Guy Trilby
Kathryn Hahn
as Jenny Widgeon
Rohan Chand
as Chaitanya Chopra
Philip Baker Hall
as Dr. Bowman
Allison Janney
as Dr. Bernice Deagan
Ben Falcone
as Pete Fowler
Steve Witting
as Proctor at Spelling Bee
Beth Grant
as Bedazzled Judge
- GP
Gwen Parden
as Brace Faced Girl
Anjul Nigam
as Sriram Chopra
Directed by Jason Bateman