I'm rather impressed that R-Rated comedies are making a come back at the major Hollywood studios (who have recently been too pussy to make them). After all they're cheep to make and can reap huge financial rewards if the audience latches on...just look at The Hangover. But for an audience to latch on the film itself needs to be good; and by good I mean funny.
Unfortunately Bad Teacher, while no slouch, is no grade A student either. I think that's down to two reasons. The script isn't that great and the 'Godzilla' factor.
1/ Script-wise Bad Teacher is solid enough but if you want people to laugh you've got to take some risks. Cameron Diaz as the Bad Teacher of the title is certainly not good, but she could have been balls-out, unreservedly awful...and the script never goes to that place. If you're going to have a R-Rating, you better bloody use it (just ask Billy Bob Thornton in the superior Bad Santa).
2/ The 'Godzilla' factor refers to the major flaw in Roland Emmerich's 1998 cluster-cuss. In that they couldn't decide whether the title character was destructive but ultimately sympathetic (an anti-hero if you will) or an out and out bad guy. Now either approach works in a story but you've got to make a choice and stick with it. Cameron Diaz is never bad enough to be the bad guy but never sympathetic enough for us to like her.
Therefore a poorly handled main character, coupled with a weak script where the best bits are in the trailer, means a disappointing comedy. Must do better.
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