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Mr. Woodcock

A messy sado-school movie

By MARK BAZER | September 12, 2007

1.0 Stars

VIDEO: Watch the trailer for Mr. Woodcock.

Troubled by the embarrassment his surname caused, Mr. Wormwood, a teacher at my elementary school, changed it. The title character in this messy movie from director Craig Gillespie lives with no such insecurities. PE teacher Jasper Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton) is one confident man — especially in his gym, where he lords it over his pupils with a military whistle and a sadistic streak. One former abusee, John Farley (Seann William Scott), took the woodcocking particularly hard, but he’s grown now, the author of a self-help book about letting go of your past. Problem is, his past is now dating his mom (Susan Sarandon). John hatches a doomed revenge plot, and you wait for him to lose his shit. But when he does, it lands with a comedic thud. Thornton chucking balls at kids is funnier — until it just feels cruel.

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Topics: Reviews , Susan Sarandon, Seann William Scott, Craig Gillespie, More

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