Bad Teacher

Watch Trailer

It's hard not to compare Bad Teacher to Bad Santa: it's the same plot but with different characters. The latter boasted perfect casting: It was believable that given the wrong set of circumstancesBilly Bob Thornton could turn into someone like foul-mouthed, cynical Willie. What they have done with Bad Teacheris take out all the nastiness that made 2003's hit comedy work and cast Cameron Diaz in the Willie role. There is no way in a million years that Cameron Diaz could be a bitchy, selfish teacher who gets stoned and drunk in class.

Diaz plays Elizabeth Hasley, a gold digger teaching junior high (badly) until she gets married. When her rich fiancée finds out she's only in it for the money, Elizabeth is forced to return to school to eke out a living – terrible news when she's trying to save for a new boob job. Despite advances from Jason Segel's gym teacher, Elizabeth makes a move for the hot new sub, and heir to a fortune, Scott Delacorte (Timberlake), but she has competition in the annoyingly perfect Amy Squirrel (Punch).

Diaz herself is fine – she does the best the can – but the role needed a little edge and Diaz just doesn't have it (those believable as a cynical foul-mouthed, dope-smoking alcoholic are as follows: Mandy Moore, Laura Linney, Catherine Keener, Marisa Tomeii, Michelle Williams, Toni Collette, TildaSwinton, Naomi Watts, Eva Green). When Diaz should be making her students cry and destroying their confidence forever with a devastating comment, director Jake Kasdan has her washing cars in skimpy clothes. That's the difference between Santa and Teacher: Thornton was prepared to play it ugly, Diaz is prepared to only go so far.

Good news then that her support up their game to compensate. Segel isn't given the quality of lines he's used to but he manages to make what he has work; Timberlake's squeaky clean Scott succeeds in getting a few laughs because he's Justin Timberlake; Phyllis Smith's (The US Office) dialogue must have looked nothing special on paper but she brings a certain charm to her lines. The standout, though, is Lucy Punch (who would also have been deadly in the lead role): irritating at first, it's when Bad Teacher drags out her worst side – the competitive, bitchy side –Punch comes alive. As the movie progresses she gets better and better; by the end she outshines her lead.

Bad Teacher follows the same trajectory as Bad Santa – it's a kid that hastens Diaz's attitude turn around – but it's story isn't as strong: it's basically a series of scenes where Diaz can act unDiaz-like. There are some nice moments (teachers are just as horny, insecure and petty as the students)and some really funny moments (Timberlake dry-humping his off-screen ex) but it falls short of what it could have been.

Not terrible by any means but considering the great idea it isthere's a sense of disappointment in this altogether safer outing.Let's hope the inevitable follow-ups of Bad Plumber/Nuclear Physicist/Stamp Collector will fare better.