Happy Friday Notables! In this week’s look at movies, we caught up with Young Professional Andrea Miller, Producer at Cineplex.com, to find out about Cameron Diaz’s new flick Bad Teacher. Be sure to read on after the interview to find out how you could win a pair of passes to Cineplex Theatres.
Is it just me or am I noticing more bawdy, foul-mouthed female leads in comedies this summer?
It’s not just you, since the unprecedented success of Bridesmaids – which featured women behaving badly for maximum laughs in a way that’s typically only reserved for men – was just the first in a slew of lady-heavy comedies where the humour is derived from more than not getting the guy and PG dating snafus. Cameron Diaz leads the charge in Bad Teacher and plays Elizabeth Halsey, a woman who embodies the opposite of what a teacher should be, possessing no regard for the kids in her class and who’s not afraid to share that she would rather be boozing and finding herself a man. It certainly goes to great lengths to earn its R rating.
And Cameron Diaz seems to also be trying something new here.
That’s true. While she’s never shied away from playing up her sexiness, she’s never taken on such a depraved, nonredeemable character and audiences are sure to be surprised by the change. Diaz’s Miss Halsey is only a teacher by trade since her real job is trolling bars trying to find a rich man to take care of her. Hardly an empowering female character like her turn in Charlie Angels.
The movie has an impressive supporting cast. Who else stars in Bad Teacher?
British comedienne Lucy Punch plays her adversary, Phyllis Smith from the US version of The Office plays another fellow teacher, while Jason Segel plays the lovelorn gym teacher. And Justin Timberlake – Diaz’s real-life ex – joins as the naïve substitute Scott Delacorte. It’s directed by Jake Kasdan, who’s helmed episodes of the dearly departed Freaks and Geeks as well as Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Zero Effect. (Check out this interview with Diaz talking about Kasdan’s interesting request.)
Since Diaz and Timberlake are exes, has there been any talk about on-set awkwardness or in-fighting?
None at all, in fact co-star Lucy Punch told NY Magazine that both were totally professional, and while it was obvious they knew each other well, there was no animosity. She called them “irritatingly mature,” and even Diaz, who has been asked tirelessly about what it was like working with Timberlake, said that she had no problem with his casting since he was the right guy for the role.
What can audiences expect from Bad Teacher?
A funny look at a woman whose behaviour is so immoral, selfish and focused on her own shallow gains that it’s almost impressive she manages to do anything else. Almost. Segel and Timberlake, as well as Punch, make the most out of their supporting roles and Diaz’s evil teacher is sure to go down in history as one of the worst on-screen teachers ever.
Alright Notables, want to win two passes to Cineplex Theatres? Well, all you have to do is tweet “Fingers crossed I win two passes to @CineplexMovies courtesy @NotableCA: http://qr.net/BadTeach” and you’ll be entered to win. You can use these passes to see Bad Teacher or any other regular showing at Cineplex Theatres.