Of all the things that Bad Teacher is, one of them is definitely ‘not for everyone.’ There are many audiences who will be turned off by the foul and mean spirited humor found in Bad Teacher but for those who skew toward the more savage end of the comedy pool will find a treasure trove of comedy made of pure gold. As it turns out, I am neck deep in those water and absolutely loved Bad Teacher.

The story is simple and complex at the same time. Simple in that it follows a well worn path of comedies in this genre but complex in that a lot happens along the way and it is never quite what you expect. It all revolves around a destitute teacher, Elizabeth (Cameron Diaz), who is not in the profession as a calling but just going through the motions while trying to find a sugar daddy so she can live out her days shopping, getting high and doing whatever she wants. She was almost there before her fiance wised up and dumped her. Newly poor she has to go back to a job she hates and deal with the ire of rival teacher Amy Squirrel (Lucy Punch) and the advances of persistent gym teacher Russell Gettis (Jason Segel). Things look up when new substitute teacher Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake) shows up and turns out to be the heir to a sizable fortune while also looking like Justin Timberlake. Elisabeth decides the only way to help him get over his recent divorce and win his money for her own is to get bigger boobs. Toward that end, she sets about trying to come up with the money for breast enlargement while also trying to keep Amy from stealing him away.

There are a lot of movies that have the same basic set up and when you add in the school element you get a bunch of inspirational movies where the teacher has something to teach the kids but also has a lot to learn from the students. There are moments in Bad Teacher where it seems like the movie is going this direction but it never really betrays itself by falling too deeply into convention. This is where the movie really shines, in the surprise deviations from cliche that stay true to the original concept. Elisabeth has a story arc and learns some lessons but she stays true to herself no matter what and that is pretty amazing given the current state of the studio system.

The plot devices and where worn conventions used in this movie are not the liabilities they would normally be in a film like this but rather become its greatest strength. Because you know what should be coming the shocking humor and dialogue are able to take you by surprise and hit their mark deep in the gut. From the opening scenes of the movie it sets you up and slaps you right across the face and that material just flat works.

The writing really shines here with not only set piece style big moments but also clever dialogue and unexpected turns. The larger set pieces were hamstrung by being prominently featured in trailers which dulled their edge considerably. But what couldn’t be shown in the trailer so much are the shocking and mean moments in which Elizabeth does or says something so off sides that it is almost unbelievable. She goes so far into unlikable territory that it becomes amazing that the audience doesn’t disconnect with her completely. She is written in such a way that no matter what vile, crazy thing she does you don’t really hate her. I think what really helps this is that she is also legitimately funny and while there are tons of off color and outrageous things said and done, the script doesn’t use it as a crutch. The framework and maneuvering around that framework is so solid that the nastiness serves to bolster it as opposed to propping it up.

The performances do a lot to help this along. I think a different cast would have handled this in a very different way and not to the film’s benefit. Cameron Diaz really nails Elizabeth and  gives the impression that she is not really ‘mean’ as much as she is just selfish and doesn’t care. There are flashes of tenderness and feeling in her but they are very quick and even genuinely helpful advice is buried very deep in a frank and unfeeling shell. Justin Timberlake really shines as Delacorte, a goody goody that has his head so far up his own ass it would be a miracle to get a real genuine thought out of him. He is tender and nice and completely insufferable. Timberlake delivers a terrific performance by not producing a caricature but rather a person who is really just annoyingly earnest and empty. Lucy Punch plays loony tunes crazy very well but she proves here that she can do normal/crazy as well. Her Amy Squirrel is not a bad person but she is definitely a petty and jealous one who is only satisfied when all the glory goes to her. Does this make her deserving of the business end of Elizabeth’s ire? It is a good question and one Bad Teacher goes a long way in answering. Jason Segel is wonderful as always as a schlubby gym  teacher who is charming, genuine and is probably the best touchtone the audience has with basic human decency.

Principle cast aside, the film also has some great cameos and supporting actors. Eric Stonestreet delivers some of the best moments in the movie as Elizabeth’s craigslist roommate in a pretty major departure from his character on Modern Family. It is also great to see Dave ‘Gruber’ Allen in a role not dissimilar to his awesome role in Freaks and Geeks. Phyllis Smith, John Michael Higgins and Thomas Lennon round out a very talented cast.

All of that heaped praise aside, the film is not perfect. It falls prey to some of the cliches it is playing off of on occasion and is a bit uneven from a pacing perspective. You add that with the tone of the film that will turn off a sizable segment of the audience and you are going to have a movie that a lot of people really hate. If you don’t like this style of comedy then you are going to be unsatisfied without a doubt.

Conclusion [8.5 out of 10]

I really loved this movie but my recommendation comes with a pretty heavy caveat. If you like this style of mean spirited comedy then you will most likely love the movie. If you don’t then you should look elsewhere. It is really that simple. If you are expecting a puritanical and inspirational movie you will not find it here. If you want to live vicariously through a character who says things you wish you could say and think that off color humor is hilarious then you should waste no time seeing Bad Teacher.