Bad Education Reviews

Classic Pedro with a hint of Hitch

This tale of two friends who meet after being in school years before has all the wonderful touchs of a Pedro film. It has the vivid characters, the colourful characters and the fantastic set pieces but this one has added a slight difference and that is the Hitchcock touch. The script and acting are wonderful and the plot twists make you excited to watch more to see how it all pans out.

This is one of Pedro's best (in my book) and would recommend this to all lovers of European cinema.

FANTASTIC!

This film is an absolute must see. The acting is first rate (if you haven't yet experienced the incredible talent of the young Gael Garcia Bernal then you really are missing out!), Almodovar's direction is, as expected, superbly insightful and the film's intricate plot keeps you utterly spellbound throughout. Don't bother renting, just BUY IT now!!!

An Education in Good Film-making.

Bad Education (or La Mala Educaci?n) is the latest film (released 2004) from the great Spanish director Pedro Almod?var. Anyone who has an interest in Spanish cinema will know Almod?var as the director of such excellent films as ?Talk to Her? and ?All About My Mother?. Bad Education stars Gael Garcia Bernal, the Mexican heart-throb who has appeared in a whole list of films, not least ?The Motorcycle Diaries?, ?Amores Perros? and ?Y tu Mam? Tambi?n?. The film is subtitled, so if you can?t handle that then read no further (but you are missing such a lot).

**** Plot Summary ****

In 1980 Madrid Enrique Goded (Fele Martinez) is a young successful film director searching newspapers for an idea for a story for a new film. The doorbell rings and a bearded young man enters claiming to be Enrique?s old school friend Ignacio Rodriguez, however he now wants to be known by his acting name ?Angel Andrade?. Angel (Gael Garcia Bernal) announces that he has written a story called ?The Visit? based on their schooldays but with a different ending and he would like Enrique to consider making the story into a film. Angel then leaves.

In ?The Visit? there are three main characters, Ignacio, Enrique and the school principal Father Manolo. The three meet years later when they are adults. Enrique has become a frustrated family man, Father Manolo is no longer a priest and Ignacio has become Zahara, a drug addict transvestite. In the story the encounter ends tragically.

Enrique reads the story with interest and is especially moved by the part about their childhood which describes the love between the two boys and also of Father Manolo?s obsession with Ignacio. Father Manolo has Enrique expelled from the school to remove the competition.

Enrique and Angel meet again and Enrique tells him that he is very interested in the story and would like to make it into a film. Angel agrees as long as he can play the main role of Zahara. But Enrique thinks that Angel is too masculine for the role. On their next meeting Angel has shaved off his beard and slimmed down and announces that he has been frequenting gay bars to study transvestites for the role. Reluctantly Enrique agrees to allow Angel to play the part.

The story (and the story within a story) then twists and turns and interweaves in a multitude ways that will leave your mind spinning ? but I can reveal no more here without ruining the fabulous script.

**** Opinion ****

This is classic Almod?var at his best. Like many of his past films there are tremendous characters, a complex and intelligent storyline, superb cinematography and more than a little sex. However, unlike previous films which have largely concentrated on female roles (albeit transvestites in some cases) this film revolves totally around male characters.

At first the storyline may appear a little confusing as it can be difficult to tell the fiction (the inner story) from fact (the actual story) but this all comes together beautifully and you are left without any doubts by the end. The way that the two stories interweave is nothing short of genius.

The style of the film varies and owes itself to many influences. From the French style romanticism of the school flashbacks through farce, tragedy and comedy to dark film noir. Almod?var?s trademark use of colour and imaginative shots are all present too.

On first impressions the implied child abuse by Father Manolo may seem to be stepping into controversial areas but this aspect is dealt with tactfully. There may be an underlying suggestion that the abuse led to Ignacio?s problems in later life but not his sexuality. A scene in a cinema with the two boys confirms their gay tendencies even before any influence by Father Manolo.

One of the highlights of the film is the performance by Gael Garcia Bernal who had to learn a Spanish accent for the part. He plays several very different roles with great skill and sensitivity which confirms him as one of the greatest actors of his generation. Unlike his Hollywood counterparts he demonstrates that you can be both a film idol and a great actor. His professionalism is demonstrated by his handling of the gay sex scenes that he is required to do. Fele Martinez is also excellent as Enrique. Also look out for ?Talk to Her? star Javier C?mara as Zahara?s transvestite friend.

All this is topped off with a superb score by Alberto Iglesias.

**** Summary ****

I am not sure that Bad Education is quite as good as ?All About My Mother? or ?Talk to Her? but it is still superb. I would highly recommend it to anybody who likes classic cinema with strong involving storylines and brilliant acting. Only homophobes and the internationally challenged need steer clear.

Brilliant

Have waited so long to see this film but the wait was well worth while. Played it over three times before slipping it back in the envelope.

Garcia Bernal is perfectly cast and I have now listed all his previous films and await their arrival with anticipation.

Sexy, snazzy, slick

Any film that deals with the Catholic church and altar-boy molestations is bound to raise eyebrows. Yet, this offering by Almodóvar has so much more to give than that.

It is a complicated, meaty plot filled with so many twists and turns that forces you to pay full attention to the story, and even then you might start wondering whether you did manage to catch everything. Striving to question the effect of nurture, it also brings in peripheral issues such as homosexuality, trust, deception and even (grossly misplaced) love. Would we react to a person in a different way if we thought they were someone else? Would we have turned out differently if we had different experiences?

Brave and audacious, while at the same time littered with subtleties, one realises why it has been cut or banned in more conservative societies. And it is a shame that audiences around the world have not been allowed to watch the movie in its entirety, because it is a beautiful piece that has the rare combination of an exceptionally strong script, cast and direction.

Catholic Priests and Sexual Abuse

This film is simply a visually colourful depiction of a tangled yarn about what becomes of a Catholic priest and two boys in his care. Though each of them goes on to take an interesting path in life, their paths cross many years later, with interesting consequences. It's a true story and that validates it, but the outcome is not as extraordinary as the tangled personal mess that the three characters become involved in. It's pleasing though that Almodovar has put the behaviour of a Catholic priest up there on the screen for all the world to see. That's what gives this film it's greatest value.

Almodovar's back with a bang

Not since High Heels has Almodovar been as funny and tragic in equal measure. The film is a triumph of technique, style and genius. A great take on Hollywood film noir but done in full Technicolor. You will never see a better movie this year.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Superb!!

This film is excellent from start to finish. If you love intelligent films that are supported by exceptional acting talents and faultless direction then this is a film for you. Be warned though the subject matter of childhood memories of abuse is not easy viewing at times (although nothing explicit is ever shown - its more by suggestion). However, this film kept me glued to the tv for its whole duration. Highly recommended.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Bad for me

Sorry I did not like this film because of the homosexual content; where ever you go these days, whatever you watch, wherever you are, whatever your doing you have to come in contact with homosexuality and I find the thought of their sexual act revolting-these films should carry warning labels.

An Amoldavar film as well, which are normally very very good with challenging subject matter and vastly superior to that american blockbuster junk that we are bombarded with, always depicting violence and filth which is polluting the worlds cultures and people.

Almodovar below par

The gay scenes would be disturbing for a homophobe, but are otherwise humorous. Trouble for me with this movie was that there wasn't the usual warmth like in Almodovar's 'all about my mother' and 'women on the edge of a nervous breakdown' in fact, there were no women in this film at all, and that's perhaps where it falls down?