Bad Words
A foul-mouthed dropout hijacks an elite spelling bee to settle an old score, only to find an unlikely bond amid the sabotage.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- sardonic
- irreverent
- scabrous
- adult comedy night
- satire double feature
What critics said
Critics generally found the film scabrously funny and sharply acted, especially praising Jason Bateman's dual performance as director and lead, though its dark humor and unlikeable protagonist divided reviewers.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Guy Trilby sabotages a family-oriented spelling bee through profanity, antagonism, and calculated rule exploitation.
Adult competitor Guy forms an unexpected bond with young spelling contestant Chaitanya during the competition.
Guy enters the Golden Quill spelling bee specifically to take revenge for a past wrongdoing.
Guy exploits spelling bee regulations and repeatedly undermines the norms and expectations of the Golden Quill.
Films like Bad Words, and why
The Invention of Lying
shares an abrasive, foul-mouthed comedy style, an unlikeable protagonist, and an unexpectedly humane friendship
World's Greatest Dad
combines caustic adult humor, social satire, and a damaged protagonist whose hostility masks emotional vulnerability
Election
features scabrous comedy, competitive social performance, and a morally dubious outsider disrupting a polished public institution
Movie Details
- Director
- Jason Bateman
- Release Date
- 2013-09-06
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (928)
Cast
- Jason Bateman
- Kathryn Hahn
- Rohan Chand
- Philip Baker Hall
- Allison Janney
- Ben Falcone
- Steve Witting
- Beth Grant
- Gwen Parden
- Anjul Nigam
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Bad Words about?
- A foul-mouthed dropout hijacks an elite spelling bee to settle an old score, only to find an unlikely bond amid the sabotage.
- What is Bad Words like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Bad Words as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Bad Words violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Bad Words.
- What did critics think of Bad Words?
- Critics generally found the film scabrously funny and sharply acted, especially praising Jason Bateman's dual performance as director and lead, though its dark humor and unlikeable protagonist divided reviewers.
- Which films are like Bad Words?
- Films with a similar feel include The Invention of Lying, World's Greatest Dad, and Election.
- How long is Bad Words?
- Bad Words runs 89 minutes.
- Where can I watch Bad Words?
- In United States, Bad Words is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
