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Speech & Debate

Play trailer 2:30 Poster for Speech & Debate PG-13 Released Apr 7, 2017 1h 55m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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55% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 46% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Frustrated by the hypocrisy they see in their parents, teachers, and the members of the school board, an unlikely trio set out to find a common truth and make their voices heard as they revive a defunct school club and take on the world.
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Speech & Debate

Critics Reviews

View All (11) Critics Reviews
Nell Minow Movie Mom A heartfelt love letter from theater kids to theater kids. Rated: B Apr 14, 2017 Full Review Frank Scheck The Hollywood Reporter The film's stage origins, and a cameo appearance by Lin-Manuel Miranda, may be of interest to theater buffs, but everyone else will be left wondering what all the fuss was about. Apr 11, 2017 Full Review Andrew Barker Variety Once a darkly comic romp centered around outing a pedophile teacher, this adaptation has been shorn of its sharpest edges, leaving a largely unfocused, conventional teen dramedy in its place. Apr 7, 2017 Full Review D.R. Baker The Young Folks ...Speech & Debate will probably not stand out among the best, although it is, at times, a fun ride anyway. Rated: 6/10 Apr 28, 2017 Full Review Brian Costello Common Sense Media Coming-of-age tale confronts teen issues; sex and drinking. Rated: 3/5 Apr 18, 2017 Full Review Jennie Kermode Eye for Film All in all, this is a plucky but rather disorganised attempt to explore pressing issues. For a teen-focused film, it's refreshingly lacking in cynicism, but its fate will depend on whether or not its audience shares this quality. Rated: 2.5/5 Apr 6, 2017 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (13) audience reviews
steve d As a former Debater and coach, I wanted to like it, but it tries way to hard and does nothing interesting. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Estava tão cult, até transformar se em um pastelão, adolescentes caindo de bêbados e drogados na esbornia, desvirtuou o que seria um filme leve e divertido sobre jovens liberais inteligentes e militando em prol da liberdade sexual, mães solteiras e afins, o discurso & debate quase se perdeu… Mas se recuperou de forma brilhante, aquele musical final, salvou, era o que eu esperava desses jovens "encrenqueiros" e reacionários… Um filme delicinha, descompromissado, que levanta uma linda bandeira.... Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Andrea N Surprised this movie doesn't have better reviews because I thought it was very funny and enjoyable. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/14/21 Full Review Robbie M Absolute cliché, boring garbage Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 05/27/21 Full Review Audience Member Three misfit high school students in a misfit script with misfit acting and misfit pacing and a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. BTW they are terrible at speech and debate. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member This was definitely the worst movie I have seen in years. The main character has a terrible singing voice. It gave me a headache to listen to her. The plot is completely incoherent, and the ending is awful. The acting is worse than a middle school play. I made an account just to warn people how horrible this movie is. You may have made some bad decisions in life, but watching this movie will be by far your worst. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Speech & Debate

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Frustrated by the hypocrisy they see in their parents, teachers, and the members of the school board, an unlikely trio set out to find a common truth and make their voices heard as they revive a defunct school club and take on the world.
Director
Dan Harris
Producer
Tom Rice
Screenwriter
Stephen Karam
Distributor
Vertical Entertainment
Production Co
Sycamore Pictures, Vertical Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Teen Sexuality|Mature Thematic Content|Substance Use|Some Language)
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 7, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 13, 2017
Runtime
1h 55m
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