Jason Bateman makes his directorial debut along with starring in and
producing, “Bad Words”. He plays Guy Trilby, a 40 years old man, who
never finished the 8th grade which makes him eligible to compete with 10
year olds in a spelling bee eventually winding up in the national
finals.

“Bad Words” is a comedy that makes fun of kids such as a 40 year old man
giving a 10 year contestant the finger or taking the kid Chaitanya,
played by Rohan Chand, to a prostitute so she could show him her boobs.
How about eliminating a contestant by making her think she is ‘becoming a
woman‘ then and there where she has to get up in front of a crowd to
spell a word? And then how could he not help pick on a fat kid before
the boy’s turn in the spelling bee?

Bateman gets a certain sympathy in any film because of his persona but
here it is the screenplay by Andrew Dodge who gives the actor sharp
lines that will make you laugh even when you know it is wrong. The
interplay between Guy and the reporter, Jenny Widgeon, played by Kathryn
Hahn, looking to find out what is behind the story, is also funny
though at times in a cruel way.

Dr. Deagan, played by Allison Janney, as the director of the spelling
bee, has nothing but disdain for Guy and makes it quite clear by giving
him a supply closet for his hotel room. The Golden Quill’s spelling bee
founder, played by Philip Baker Hall, attempts to keep everything on an
even keel turns comedy to drama on a dime.

Anyone who has been going to the movies knows where the story is heading
but Bateman handles the actors, and himself, with a lightness that
makes what is said and shown on film almost funny. The relationship
between Guy and Chaitanya is the meat of the story and if the kid can
forgive the adult so can we.