It’s interesting that Thornton should become embraced for playing assertive, caustic types, because in reality he’s so little like that.
Mr. Woodcock (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:106
Fresh:14
Rotten:92
Average Rating:4/10
Consensus: Underutilizing a talented cast, Mr. Woodcock lacks the comic energy and timing to make the most of its intriguing premise.
Theatrical Release:28-09-2007
Synopsis: For students at Forest Meadow Middle School, P.E. class is not playtime, but rather an exercise in mental and physical humiliation administered by the tough as gristle Mr. Woodcock (Billy Bob... For students at Forest Meadow Middle School, P.E. class is not playtime, but rather an exercise in mental and physical humiliation administered by the tough as gristle Mr. Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton). Run more like a military boot camp than a gym class, Woodcock’s physical education class takes on a new meaning where no child’s flaws or weaknesses are safe from the torture and embarrassment that follow the sound of the despised teacher’s whistle. For John Farley (Seann William Scott), author of the national bestseller Letting Go: Getting Past Your Past, the painful memories of being in Mr. Woodcock’s class have since been replaced by the self confidence gained from becoming a successful writer and motivational speaker. When a last minute cancellation on his book tour gives him an unexpected day off, John returns home to surprise his mother, Beverly (Susan Sarandon), with the news that he will be awarded the small town’s prestigious “Corn Cob Key” during its annual Cornival Festival. John’s jubilation quickly turns to angst when he discovers his mother has fallen in love with Mr. Woodcock. Forced to spend time with his old nemesis, John must endure the familiar sting of his former teacher’s sharp tongue and intimidation tactics all over again. Ignoring the pleas of his hard-nosed book publicist Maggie (Amy Poehler) to get back on tour, John extends his visit in an effort to disrupt the relationship between his mother and Woodcock, but with each passing day he finds himself regressing deeper into the insecurities and awkwardness that plagued his youth. Mortified and panic-stricken by the inevitability of his mother marrying the one man he truly despises, John enlists the help of his old school mate, Jay Nedderman (Ethan Suplee), in a last-ditch attempt to take down Mr. Woodcock. The result is a series of hilarious confrontations that lead John to discover that one’s past is often hard to escape. Mr. Woodcock is a New Line Cinema presentation of a Landscape Entertainment production, directed by Craig Gillespie from an original screenplay written by Michael Carnes & Josh Gilbert. The film is produced by Bob Cooper and David Dobkin. The executive producers are Diana Pokorny, Toby Emmerich, Kent Alterman and Karen Lunder. The co-executive producers are Michele Weiss and Keith Goldberg. The co-producer is Brian Inerfeld. The creative behind-the-scenes team includes Director of Photography Tami Reiker, ASC, Production Designer Alison Sadler, Editors Alan Baumgarten, A.C.E. and Kevin Tent, A.C.E., Costume Designer Wendy Chuck and Composer Theodore Shapiro. The talented cast features Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott and Susan Sarandon, as well as Ethan Suplee, Melissa Sagemiller, Kurt Fuller, Melissa Leo, Bill Macy, Brent Briscoe and M.C. Gainey, with Amy Poehler. New Line Cinema will release Mr. Woodcock (rated PG-13 by the M.P.A.A. for “crude and sexual content, thematic material, language and a mild drug reference”) in theaters nationwide on September 14th, 2007. --©: New Line Cinema [More]
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon, Ethan Suplee
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon, Ethan Suplee, Amy Poehler
Director: Craig Gillespie
Director: Craig Gillespie
Screenwriter: Michael Carnes, Josh Gilbert
Producer: Bob Cooper, David Dobkin
Composer: Theodore Shapiro
Studio: New Line Cinema
Reviews for Mr. Woodcock
The only redeeming aspect is that it skewers those sweat-suited sadists we all remember from gym class, but is that satisfaction really worth the price of admission?
In the film’s attempt to straddle feel-good and feel-bad, ultimately one feels nothing.
Generically silly-coated and pointless, [this] "gym teacher from hell" frivolity has all the freshness of stale athletic socks tucked away in a pimple-faced boy's locker.
If I could, I'd make this clunker drop and give me twenty push-ups for screwing a great idea up this badly.
If Mr. Woodcock himself were to assess this movie, he'd say, 'This movie is a disgrace to all goopy, gelatinous, half-baked movies the world over.'
It's as if the (supposedly) innate hilariousness of the title justified pretty much any and all "creative" decisions, and once the actors were cast everyone hoped that the film would figure itself out. They were wrong.
Even though it was stuck in development for a while, it deserved another lap around the screenwriting gym.
Between Mr. Thornton’s wry performance and Tami Reiker’s nuanced wide-screen photography, you half-expect Woodcock to deliver more than formulaic laughs.
As disjointed as you'd expect from a film that was reworked extensively by a second director.
This movie makes a much better case study for aspiring entertainment executives than it does a cinematic experience. What it most emphatically is not is a date movie.
While two novice screenwriters are officially credited with the script, the movie lurches around like something assembled by committee.
Certainly, it's mediocre, but no more so than half the comedies that are wildly promoted by their studios these days.
This film apparently sat around for a few years before being released. It's unlikely to make waves now, but Thornton and Scott do set off a few entertaining ripples.
Finally even Thornton finds his inner softie, at which point the film, after some OK gags, dies with a mechanical squish.
It's a two-minute trailer unsuccessfully stretched into an 87-minute feature film.
Latest News for Mr. Woodcock
January 14, 2008:
RT on DVD: Good Luck Chuck, Mr. Woodcock, Family Guy Goes Star Wars!
Instead of dwelling on the abysmally-reviewed home video offerings of the week - Billy Bob Thornton's Mr. Woodcock and Dane Cook's Good Luck Chuck -- we're thrilled to point out... More...
September 16, 2007:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Jodie Struggles But Still Hits #1
For the second straight weekend, a star-driven action drama aimed at adult audiences opened at number one with $14M in ticket sales from roughly 2,700 theaters. This time it was... More...
September 13, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Jodie's Got A Gun!
Two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster returns to the big screen this weekend in the vigilante thriller The Brave One which has its sights set on an easy top spot debut. The frame's... More...
September 13, 2007:
Critical Consensus: Brave One Isn't Tops, Mr. Woodcock is Flaccid, Hunting Party is Busted
This week at the movies, we've got vigilantes (The Brave One, starring Jodie Foster), gym teachers (Mr. Woodcock starring Billy Bob Thornton and Susan Sarandon), war... More...
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