Sometimes there are little gems of a movie that go relatively unnoticed by the public. Often that’s due to the lack of financial capital needed to get it the recognition it deserves. Many of those usually have trailers that are seen only in theaters by those already attending another small independent film. One of those previews happened to grab my attention not too long ago and I decided on a whim to go see the actual movie the other day with my partner. It was titled Bad Words and starred Jason Bateman, who incidentally was also doing double-duty as the director as well.
At first glance, especially if you’ve seen the preview, it would seem as if this movie was just going to be another type of raunchy fare. I have to admit that when I first saw the trailer that was my first impression so I quickly disregarded it as something I would never choose to go see. But given the amount of positive reviews and buzz this small film has generated, I decided to give it a whirl on a day that I seriously needed something to generate some laughter within me.
Without giving too much away, Bad Words is essentially about a 40 year old man, Guy Trilby (Bateman), who finds a loophole in the National Spelling Bee system that allows him to compete alongside pre-pubescent children. Why he does this, and how come he spends the majority of the movie being as rude, obnoxious, and ornery as he was, is all part of what made this movie as good as it was. While the trailer doesn’t totally give this film the justice it deserves, it was probably for the better that it didn’t. For once I was able to watch a movie without really knowing what to expect before going into it. What I can say is that it not only achieved many-fold the laughter I was seeking, it also gave me those spiritual goose bumps when it all came together in the end.
There is only one more thing I wish to reveal about the film without spoiling too much for someone else. While Guy Trilby may seem like a total jerk to both the viewer and all the parents in the movie itself, what transpires by the end of it explains why he’s being that way at all. The spiritual message I was able to take away from it as the credits rolled was another one of those age old adages in that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. And for me, it was double-fold, once with Trilby, and another with the movie itself.
Bad Words is truly a wonderful movie and one of those that I believe will become a cult classic as time goes on. While it may not have generated the income at the cinemas that something such as a Marvel movie might do, it was enriching, rewarding, hilarious, and worth every dollar I spent on it.
So if you are looking for a good film that has some spiritual depth hidden below a surface that appears to be only raunchy, then I encourage you to go see this movie. You will not be disappointed. I know I wasn’t.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson