Review of Bad Words (2013) by Harry W — 08 Dec 2014

With Jason Bateman stepping into the director's chair for once, Bad Words sounded like a chance to see him take on a different role in film production.

The premise in Bad Words is a rather ridiculous one. Without explaining anything aside from the fact that the central protagonist is a real prick. And considering that the protagonist is not a likable one, that gives the film a hard start. The film eventually clarifies the context of the taleThe natural charms of Jason Bateman are enough to win some audiences over, but the story really seems lazy. It doesn't seem to care much because it just wants to get through it and to the comic situations that Andrew Dodge has concoted with his screenplay. It is a very odd film, an eccentric black comedy which isn't always funny and has a seriously rough narrative. But tthe thing which makes an impression is what Jason Bateman does with it as director. He makes an impression as director and he gives a fine performance as well, so it is largely a great chance to see him in a different role both on and off camera.

Bad Words has a ludicrous story which it doesn't try to hide at all, and it doesn't flaunt that ridiculousness around either. It simply uses that as the medium to tell a story about a man seriously angry at the world and taking it out with his own mostly-harmless yet self-obsessive actions as he develops into a more sympathetic man. It is a film unlike any I have seen before, and even with its lazily assembled story and overfamiliar themes coupled with a seriously scattered focus. For his directional debut, Bad Words does prove that Jason Bateman works well behind the camera because even though the actual material in the script is pretty thin and is something that could be easily messed up, he is able to bring it to life. Part of the comedic gimmick in the film comes from the fact that it is actually him in the lead role because it is a step out from the more conventional comedy films that he has usually participated in. Bad Words is a very different change of pace for audiences and everyone involved. Granted it may not always work and is familiar or lazy in parts, but it is a pretty ambitious film in the end.

The tale of unlikely friendship in Bad Words proves to actually be meaningful. As ridiculous as it is, the bond that develops 40 year old Guy Trilby and the 10 year old Chaitanya Chopra is an unconventional friendship. It is usually the kind reserved for family films, while in Bad Words it is used to get them both into seriously adult situations. As strange as it is, it never goes beyond belief and actually maintains a sense of touching sentiment to it. The dramatic element in the film about Guy Trilby's obsession with proving himself and the issues he has with his father really doesn't go anywhere, and neither does the manner of his relationship with Jenny Widgeon. It is all built around the strange situations that come from the zany plot and the friendship between Guy Trilby and Chaitanya Chopra. Surprisingly enough, they make a strong duo which means that viewers are able to get a sense of genuine enjoyment out of seeing the interactions and bond that develop between them. It becomes one of the best aspects of Bad Words as it plays on the theme of being a father-figure and being a friend too, contrasting the fact that Guy Trilby never had many friends or even a father around. There is more meaning if you actually look into it, but even on surface level it is fun. As a comedy film, Bad Words may not be a laugh out loud feature but it has plenty of strong comic situations which set it up to succeed, and so it proves Jason Bateman's worth as a director.

And the performances of the main two actors manage to keep the comedic spirit of Bad Words alive.

As usual, Jason Bateman makes a strong lead. He plays a very different role this time and anchors himself as an unlikable protagonist at first, but his natural charms eventually win the audience over because he approaches all the situations with a sense of annoyance and reluctance without being uninvolved. He maintains a realistic sense of energy in the part by using his natural comic persona but toning it down a bit to express his annoyance at the rest of the world around him. He never has to force a word because he delivers all of his lines with such natural ease, and he is able to use the character to establish the atmosphere of the film really well. Jason Statham is able to direct himself to a great performance in Bad Words by creating an unlikable character and then using his abilities as an actor to win the audience over and then gradually put more meaning into the role as Bad Words progresses. It is a good change from his usual roles because it shows his ability to branch out and still remain a funny man, so he makes a strong lead in Bad Words.

Rohan Chand makes a likable character. Stepping up from the juvenile low standard set by the script in his previous film Jack & Jill, Rohan Chand is handed a much bigger part for Bad Words and proves himself up to the challenge. While at first he seems like a rather childish archetype, he begins to develop as the story progresses into more comic material and he gets a grip on all the mature comic nature of the material. He becomes a really likable character because as he becomes more involved with the comedic nature of the film he turns into a likable creation. Rohan Chand has an impressive amount of comic energy in Bad Words, and he really establishes a character who the audience can care about while the protagonist is played off as so unlikable. His line delivery has a sense of innocence in it which remains present even as he progresses through more and more edgy material over the course of the film. For him to be able to carry the screen equally with Jason Bateman so well is impressive for someone of his age, so his leading performance really shows precisely how much charisma he is able to maintain.

So although Bad Words has lazy plotting and a limited amount of laughs, it is a genuinely enjoyable film with strong performances from Rohan Chand and Jason Bateman who tackles the role of director well for the first time ever.