Review: Bad Education
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 5:00PM 
by Tony Ruggio
Filmmaker Cory Finley is fast becoming an auteur. That much is clear, and more, when watching his second directorial effort Bad Education, a great film unfortunately relegated to the streaming fringes of HBO. A film this good would’ve been poised to make a bigger splash with Netflix or Amazon, as well as contend for Oscars over Emmys.
Hugh Jackman gives the best performance of his career as Frank Tassone, a Long Island area school district superintendent who in the early aughts, along with district business manager Pamela Gluckin (Allison Janney) and others, embezzled millions of dollars from school funds to support their lavish lifestyles...
Finley has a knack for cultural minutiae, for exploring a particularly egregious brand of upper-class suburban entitlement. Bad Education and his wickedly funny debut feature Thoroughbreds are both about bad behavior born out of insecurity, sociopathy, boredom, and greed in the northeastern United States. Written by Mike Makowsky, a middle school student in Roselyn, NY at the time of the scandal, the film seeks to unpack the assorted pressures and personality flaws that led otherwise everyday do-gooders to resort to defrauding the very people and students they had committed their lives to serving. It’s also a low-key celebration of the power of investigative journalism, even in the hands of a small school outlet.
A sophomore and writer for the Roselyn student paper, Rachel Bhargava (Geraldine Viswanathan) is taught by folks like Tassone to strive for greater ends. So that’s exactly what she does when called to report on the school’s much-ballyhooed Skywalk construction project, a possible fluff piece that snowballs into an investigation when Pamela Gluckin arrogantly hands her the keys to the kingdom’s budget archives. Gluckin, played with condescending panache by Janney, spends most of her spoils on home improvements designed to increase her family’s property value. For six years I worked for a company that provided services to cities and school districts around the country. If there’s one thing I learned about those who call these affluent neighborhoods home, it’s that people will do and say anything to raise or retain their property values.
Through meetings with school board president Bob Spicer (an amusingly daft Ray Romano), who never misses an opportunity to lather praise for Tassone’s work, it’s clear what has prompted the surreptitious behavior: upward mobility. The town’s reputation and value was built on the quality of its schools, on good grades, high graduation hosannas, and college attendance rates. Accident and entitlement may have led Tassone, Gluckin, and co. to steal at first, but it was pride and local ego that led them to continue doing so and ultimately to cover it up.
Jackman has never been better or more alive on screen as Frank, a natural-born liar and man of many needs that go way above his pay grade. He believes he deserves more than what is owed to him, that his legal pittance isn’t enough to pay him back for years of “servitude” to the parents and their children. He and the rest are what happens when you take an understandable and often just sentiment like “educators should be paid more” and run with it till it fosters greed and bleeds American green. In one scene, a routine meeting with a single parent and her intellectually-challenged son turns ugly and revealing, not only of Tassone’s nature but also the depth of Jackman’s performance.
A monologue about race cars is the stuff of Oscar clip history, and one stirring scene in a nightclub where Frank loosens up and finally, fully embraces his true self in public ensures we never forget the insecurities nor the inhibitions that drive him. A final moment that breaks reality and provides a window into his psyche uses all of the stylistic hallmarks that set apart Thoroughbreds: tracking shots, foreboding music or sound, and compassionate storytelling. Finley’s craft and Jackman’s talent force us to reckon with the guy’s humanity, even in the face of so many bad deeds. Bad Education is not limited in scope, nor is it a film of slight importance. It’s a film for our current Fraud-ed Age. I would’ve preferred an Oscar run, but here’s hoping it’s not forgotten at the Emmys. A-
Related:
Chris Feil's TIFF Review last fall
More on Finley's debut Thoroughbreds
Reader Comments (24)
Thoroughbreds was one of my favorite movies the year it came out, so I was anxious to see Cory Finley's follow-up. I'm so glad to say that he's 2/2. He has a really keen eye and a knack for visual storytelling.
I've been thinking about it ever since the movie premiered and Jackman's performance is inching closer and closer to becoming my favorite of his career. What he does with his eyes in the restaurant scene with Rafael Casal is so, so good. What a shame this won't be eligible for Oscars, but I hope it cleans up at the Emmys!
Am I the only one who's miffed they took a title of a perfectly good Almodovar film and reused it? I know, I know, you can't copyright titles, but use your imagination folks.
If this movie is as good as everyone says it is, why would the producers sell it to HBO instead of a studio and opt for a theatrical release? The subject matter and star power seems to indicate it would have been a big hit.
I think I also remember reading somewhere that the big names involved with the movie were disappointed when the deal with HBO as well.
@MDA - HBO offered almost $20 million to acquire it. I would seriously think about that too, with that kind of money involved.
Another film denied to theaters. so sad indeed
I thought the film was just OK. Really was a fascinating story. Outstanding performances by both Jackman and Janney. Overall I'd give the film a solid B.
Will this film be eligible for the Oscars under the new Academy rules ?
Sean C -- i dont believe so since it was purchased by HBO during its festival run and intended for their channel.
MDA & Starlit -- yeah, most indie producers will opt for the biggest payout even if it means non-theatrical. It's why HBO and Netflix (both deep pockets) can get so many films. It's why its' actually a story when a filmmaker turns down the big money (like Lulu Wang last year) to get a theatrical release instead.
Loved Janney and Viswanathan but honestly wasn't quite sold on Jackman here - nor the film, which really did look and feel to me like a second-tier TV movie...decidedly not Oscar-level.
Nathaniel: As if I'm not already having a sad enough week with the death of Irrfan Khan, you had to go and remind me about Lulu Wang...which makes me think of all the Oscar nominations The Farewell deserved and didn't get! (Good on her, though, for turning down the big bucks in favour of a theatrical release - I hadn't known about that.)
@Edward L - It's great for Lulu Wang and The Farewell that it did phenomenally well, but the movie industry is so precarious that it makes so much financial sense for people to go TV or streaming if that kind of money is being offered. Especially now! What options does an indie filmmaker have now to make money that involve what they actually do? Not many. If I was in a filmmaker in Finley's position, I would be so relieved I took HBO's money because I can pay important bills and take care of the people in my life.
What I hope happens with Finley, now that he is theoretically more financially secure as I don't know how much of that money goes to him, is that he can now be in a better position to go for theatrical release for his next movie, no matter what.
Just your daily (sporadic) reminder that Renée Zellweger is a two-time Academy Award winning Actress.
@Nat
What IF HBO can proves to the Academy that its original intent is to release it via theater before quickly or simultaneously releases it on their TV platform ala Netflix, but Covid 19 has derived their theater plan???
W all the solid reviews, It sounds like possible Oscar noms for Jackman, Janney & the script!
@starlit: Good points. I didn't mean to imply dissing Finley by supporting Lulu Wang. Hoping he too can go onto bigger success, on the big screen or small.
Movies like this don't do that well theatrically anymore so I suppose it makes sense. And TBH i think given the world as it is, they made the right choice. It's a shame for Jackman, as this sounds like it would have been a real contender. Alas.
I liked Thoroughbreds. Not great but certainly liked.
Odd that this is a TV movie.
Just saw it today... ** 1/2 / D in my opinion... Jackman and Janney (and the rest of the cast) are quite good, but I did not see enough bite to justify a good review... it is just a well shot satire that could have been sharper, waaaay sharper and missed its chances to be.
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