Bad Education

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Bad Education

NC-17

Released Mar 19, 2004

1h 44m

Drama

Crime

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

147 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

When an old friend brings filmmaker Enrique Goded (Fele Martínez) a semi-autobiographical script chronicling their adolescence, Enrique is forced to relive his youth spent at a Catholic boarding school. Weaving through past and present, the script follows a transvestite performer (Gael García Bernal) who reconnects with a grade school sweetheart. Spurred on by this chance encounter, the character reflects on her childhood sexual victimization and the trauma of closeting her sexual orientation.

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Critics Consensus

A layered, wonderfully-acted, and passionate drama.

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Will Self

London Evening Standard

The problem with the film is its very staginess -- it never really seems to get out of drag. Between the impersonations of the priesthood, the impersonations of the transvestites and the impersonations of the actors themselves, there is little to choose.

Jan 9, 2018

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Alan A. Stone

Sight & Sound

If Americans are allowed to see this film they may well conclude that the mature Almodvar is now ready to take his place alongside the great Buuel.

Jun 18, 2012

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Like a Chinese box, it has layers under layers, fictions within fictions. A mystery and an intricate triangular love story, it's also a tale about storytelling itself, the uses of art and artifice to make the unbearable bearable.

Nov 1, 2007

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Dave Giannini

InSession Film

La Mala Educacion is a tremendous film that ranks high not only in 2004 but in Almodovar’s filmography.

Feb 20, 2024

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Carson Timar

ClapperCast

There is a lot of value here, I like the conversations on performance and repression, but there was just something here that was missing for me.

Jan 20, 2024

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Darren Frei

Out Magazine

[Almodóvar manipulates] reality into a passionate, masterful orchestration that begs an encore viewing.

May 25, 2022

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francesca P

This film opened my eyes on Almodovars’ world. It’s been a long journey since then. The colours, the lines, everything explain Almodovar. Extremely different from the newest ones, the film is in the centre, I completely agree with the stylistic era divisions used for the director’s filmography. If you want to start the journey probably this movie sets you in the middle and encourage you to go back or forward between his films.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/21/24

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Lucas A

A narrative with layers and layers that are revealed as the film progresses, taking on a dark, dense way towards the end. Although the plot is labyrinthine, there is attention to many details that allow it to be read correctly. It plays a lot with the molding of the characters' personalities, and although one does not feel particularily emotionally trapped with them, intrigue and disturbance do come into play.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/14/24

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Jerod S

With a thick plot and bizarre characters woven into the corruption of the church, bad education is a doozy.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/12/24

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Crocodilo Russo de Combate

confused, passionate, surprising

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/27/23

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Rosana B

Eu compreendo, não tem nada mais broxante do que o cara dormir enquanto você está chupando o p** dele, kkkk, pobre Gael García (Zahara)... Há tempos quero assistir esse filme, provavelmente por conta disso criei uma expectativa enorme, esperava mais, superestimado, em alguns momentos lento, o plot Twist foi o melhor, mas surtiu menos efeito que o esperado, Gael está lindo, o desenvolvimento arrastado, personagens pouco cativantes tornaram o menos envolventes...

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/02/22

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colin m

("La Mala Educacion"/"Bad Education") (Spanish with subtitles) Not very enjoyable.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Pedro Almodóvar

Director

Fele Martínez

Enrique Goded

Gael García Bernal

Ángel

Daniel Giménez Cacho

Padre Manolo

Lluís Homar

Sr. Manuel Berenguer

Javier Cámara

Paca

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Synopsis

When an old friend brings filmmaker Enrique Goded (Fele Martínez) a semi-autobiographical script chronicling their adolescence, Enrique is forced to relive his youth spent at a Catholic boarding school. Weaving through past and present, the script follows a transvestite performer (Gael García Bernal) who reconnects with a grade school sweetheart. Spurred on by this chance encounter, the character reflects on her childhood sexual victimization and the trauma of closeting her sexual orientation.

Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Producer: Agustín Almodóvar, Pedro Almodóvar
Screenwriter: Pedro Almodóvar
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Canal+ España, El Deseo S.A., Televisión Española (TVE)
Rating: NC-17 (Explicit Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, Crime, LGBTQ+
Original Language: European Spanish
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 19, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.2M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital

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