If this film were one of his students, Mr. Woodcock would have every reason to tell it to take another lap.
Mr. Woodcock (2007)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
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 Woodcock’s class have since been replaced by the self confidence gained from becoming a successful writer and motivational speaker.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
A test of the audience's patience and of Sarandon's ability to maintain her dignity.
Does anyone need further proof that perhaps Billy Bob Thornton is a comedy wet blanket?
The few and far between chuckles and an amusing performance from Amy Poehler only keep it from being a painfully unfunny experience.
Has some good laughs (anytime a 10-year old kid gets hit in the head with a basketball that's funny, it's comedy gold), but the movie can be best described as predictable.
Instead of ending, it all just gives up with a sort of "never mind" ending that even Mr. Woodcock would have to call a foul on. Indeed, that is the best possible assessment of the movie as a whole.
A painfully unfunny and mean-spirited comedy, in which Billy Bob Thornton simply plays the same acerbic jerk character he's been playing since Bad Santa, and jockish Seann William Scott tries to pass himself off as a former high school loser.
For Woodcock to deliver, the leads needed to amp things up, to bring their A-game, or at least match the effort they've thrown at previous versions of these characters.
It's actually not a bad movie, with enough scattered laughs to make it worth seeing. At matinee prices, anyway. At the cheap theater.
Director Craig Gillespie clearly knows a few things; most important: If you have only 95 minutes of material, make an only 95-minute movie. Amazing how often that's forgotten.
In this post-Apatow-the-arrested-development-genius world, it can't compete. The only thing worth watching is Sarandon, popping in from a classier reality.
Director Craig Gillespie keeps things moving along at a brisk clip, without doing anything particularly distracting or stylistic.
There are a decent number of laughs, but with all that potential, it's hard not to think Mr. Woodcock is loafing. And that it's the one that ought to be forced to run laps.
Mr. Woodcock is funny for exactly five minutes, during which time Woodcock is shown throwing basketballs at boys’ heads and mocking them for having dead parents.
Like a pitcher throwing three good innings, losing his fastball in the next three and tossing the ball in the stands at the end of the game.
It's not offensive, just anemic. And even Coach Billy Bob can't whip it into shape.
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...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Mr. Woodcock at Rotten Tomatoes
- Mr. Woodcock at IGN
- Mr. Woodcock at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.





