The School for Good and Evil

PG-13

2022

2 hr. 29 min.

Drama

Action

Fantasy

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List

37%

67 Reviews

Tomatometer

66%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In the village of Gavaldon, two misfits and best friends, Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie), share the unlikeliest of bonds. Sophie, a lover of fairy tales, dreams of escaping her ordinary village life, while Agatha, with her grim aesthetic, has the makings of a real witch. Then one night under a blood red moon, a powerful force sweeps them away to the School for Good and Evil -- where the true story of every great fairy tale begins. Yet something is amiss from the start: Sophie is dropped into the School for Evil, run by the glamourous and acid-tongued Lady Lesso (Charlize Theron), and Agatha in the School for Good, overseen by the sunny and kind Professor Dovey (Kerry Washington). As if navigating classes with the offspring of Cinderella, Captain Hook, and the dashing son of King Arthur (Jamie Flatters) wasn't hard enough, according to the Schoolmaster (Laurence Fishburne), only true love's kiss can change the rules and send the girls to their rightful school. But when a dark and dangerous figure (Kit Young) with mysterious ties to Sophie reemerges and threatens to destroy the school and the rulebook entirely -- the only way to a happy ending is to survive the fairytale first.

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Critics Consensus

The cast is game and the visuals are dazzling, but a deeply derivative narrative means The School for Good and Evil flunks on the storytelling front.

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Audience Consensus

The School for Good and Evil stumbles after a solid start -- and fans of the books may be annoyed by some changes -- but the star-studded cast will keep you watching.

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Celina I

I actually love the story it's really a refreshing take of the fairytale genre. Some of the plot is weak and the VFX also dialogue of main character is annoying sometimes. But it's a good watch hope if they make a second one they improve it

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/24/24

Full Review

Justin T

This isn't good and it isn't bad. It sits right in the middle and is perfectly watchable but nothing more. The special effects are excellent, consistently impressive except for the bit where they are flying near the start. People flying in movies never looks real except Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). Some of the film looks like a virtual production but most of it looks real. The pacing is very good at the start but does slow down a little as it goes on although never to the point of stopping watching. Most of the characters are pretty unlikeable, especially outside the main duo. The concept felt very unoriginal, taking almost everything from Harry Potter. The production design too felt unoriginal with some excellent but also generic special effects. The acting is excellent. The main duo look 10 years too old to be going to school, in fact all of the cast look too old to be students. Early on in the film the good students exhibit more evil traits than the evil but I guess that's the point of the story. Much as I liked the spectacle and the fighting it is let down by stereotypical stereotypes of derivative caricatures. The story and characters are so unoriginal and some of the key motivating decisions by the main characters make no sense. Overall perfectly watchable and nothing more.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/26/24

Full Review

Grace

I left a review (under grace h) when the movie first came out, but after rewatching half (I couldn't stop cringing the entire movie) of The School for Good and Evil, I have to say that the movie was a solid 4/10. Visual effects weren't great, but passable. What really let this movie down was the mediocrity of the plot. If you want a good modern day spin on a fairytale just read the books, 10x better.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/24/24

Full Review

John M

Unless you're a female under the age of 16, this movie lacks any appeal.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/23/24

Full Review

grace h

Good little movie. It is presented in an unusual way but it's a good story and has good music. I liked that the end fit the story.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/22/24

Full Review

Janet C

Except for the astonishing talents of a few, (Charlize Theron & Laurence Fishburne), the acting is something left to be desired. There is a juvenility that screams high school production, but the story more than makes up for that. Visually, it is beautiful and impressive. They used CGI when needed, but did not rely on it to carry the film as so many movies do. Even though it’s the age old story of good vs. evil and friendship, one becomes encapsulated in this balkanized society of good and evil wondering who will prevail. Very simply, the end leaves you wanting for more. (And I am hoping we get it.) A must see for those who believe in all things sorcery and fairytales alike.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/16/24

Full Review

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Paul Feig

Director

Sophia Anne Caruso

Sophie

Sofia Wylie

Agatha

Charlize Theron

Lady Lesso

Michelle Yeoh

Professor Anemone

Laurence Fishburne

School Master

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The School for Good and Evil: Trailer 2

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Amy Nicholson

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

The movie really is star-studded, but it has almost no momentum.

Oct 24, 2022

Full Review

Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

It’s too nakedly derivative and too crudely assembled (Feig is hardly a visual stylist). Yet the central conceit is consistently compelling...

Rated: 3/5

Oct 21, 2022

Full Review

Noel Murray

Los Angeles Times

An exhaustingly long, overstuffed movie that probably would’ve worked better as a TV series.

Oct 21, 2022

Full Review

Olivia Truffant-Wong

Refinery29

In the end, The School for Good and Evil speaks to a modern audience’s desire for complexity, even in beloved fairy tales.

Feb 16, 2023

Full Review

Roger Moore

Movie Nation

Two and a half hours of tedium...but Theron and Washington vamp this monstrosity up and almost never let on that they know this project didn’t really work out.

Rated: 1.5/4

Jan 11, 2023

Full Review

Lindsay Press

Culturess

The movie lacks a severe amount of world-building, character development, and follow-through.

Nov 15, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

In the village of Gavaldon, two misfits and best friends, Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie), share the unlikeliest of bonds. Sophie, a lover of fairy tales, dreams of escaping her ordinary village life, while Agatha, with her grim aesthetic, has the makings of a real witch. Then one night under a blood red moon, a powerful force sweeps them away to the School for Good and Evil -- where the true story of every great fairy tale begins. Yet something is amiss from the start: Sophie is dropped into the School for Evil, run by the glamourous and acid-tongued Lady Lesso (Charlize Theron), and Agatha in the School for Good, overseen by the sunny and kind Professor Dovey (Kerry Washington). As if navigating classes with the offspring of Cinderella, Captain Hook, and the dashing son of King Arthur (Jamie Flatters) wasn't hard enough, according to the Schoolmaster (Laurence Fishburne), only true love's kiss can change the rules and send the girls to their rightful school. But when a dark and dangerous figure (Kit Young) with mysterious ties to Sophie reemerges and threatens to destroy the school and the rulebook entirely -- the only way to a happy ending is to survive the fairytale first.

Director: Paul Feig
Executive Producer: Chris Castaldi, Soman Chainani, Stephen Jones, Zack Roth
Screenwriter: David Magee, Soman Chainani
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Roth Films, Feigco Entertainment, Netflix, Jane Startz Productions, Roth/Kirschenbaum Films
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Action, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 19, 2022

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