Bad Education

 

 

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This is a difficult film to write about. For one thing, to describe the plot would be to give away the twists and thus spoil its surprises; but for another, it's impossible to take a great work of art and put it into words.

Gael Garcia Bernal (whom I've loved since "Y Tu Mama Tambien") in drag that piqued my interest in seeing "Bad Education." The other Almodovar movie I'd seen before this was "Live Flesh" and "Talk to Her," which I love. Interestingly, "Bad Education" has given me a new appreciation of "Talk to Her." The two films share a lot of themes -- false identity and self-creation, the willful self-deception and fantasy of falling in love, the spiritualization of aesthetic beauty -- not to mention a hypnotic use of music, an indifferent attitude towards women, and a few actors I recognized.
Almodovar's genius in both "Bad Education" and "Talk to Her" is his ability to set the scene, stringing the audience along, lulling it into a sense of comprehension and security, and then suddenly turning the tables with a twist of such dizzying magnitude that the mind, reeling, forced to give up on trying to understand, must just relax and allow the movie to take over -- miraculously, all without leaving the audience feeling manipulated.

In "Bad Education," he takes this device to breathless, upper-atmospherical levels, for with each twist, the film takes on a new genre. Unlike "Adaptation," though, "Bad Education" goes on, and in this way it retains its heart and soul. Further twists are introduced, and the movie metamorphoses into a mystery, a thriller, a dark rain-soaked noir -- by the end, I felt as though I had just lived through a hundred years of cinema history, all condensed into less than two rich, glorious hours.

So what holds it all together? The answer is Gael Garcia Bernal. He is a true movie star -- divinely beautiful, dazzlingly charismatic, with that all-important aura of mystery -- and though he virtually plays five characters as his character transforms along with the film, his strikingly calm blue-green eyes and sensual mouth provide a steady center for the madness around him. Despite the rumors of his abusive treatment on set at the hands of Almodovar, Garcia Bernal has a dignity (without which "Bad Education" would collapse under the weight of its own intelligence) that no amount of makeup, wigs, dresses, induced anorexia, or fake Spanish lisping can mask.

The film is rated NC-17, which has more to do with the MPAA Board's homophobia than anything else. Sure, it's a sexy drama with elements adult plot points, but had the sex scenes in this film been between a man and a woman, rather than two men, this would have easily gotten an R rating. All of the sex scenes are artfully filmed (there is no frontal nudity) and even the subplot concerning a pedophile priest is handled with care.

"Bad Education" is one of intense experiences I've had seen, and if its future doesn't hold critical acclaim and recognition as a classic, then there's no justice in the world. Overall this is far from most people's cup of tea - even those used to seeing art films may find it hard going due to the graphic simulation of the sexual acts within the film. But despite this the film is really well delivered. Many Almodóvar fans have said this is one of his lesser films but I cannot agree when I think of the skill he displays in keeping the difficult narrative together. The characters are mostly well written and the story is engaging. Happy viewing.

Fascinatingly complex nourish mystery. A film-maker is reunited with a boyhood lover, who wants to tell a dark story from their Catholic school days. But is the story true? And who's story is it really? Gael Garcia Bernal is terrific in a complicated, multi faceted role, and all the acting is very good. Gorgeously shot, with a great score.

I wish I felt more emotionally, but my mind was always completely absorbed, even if my heart stayed a little cool. Maybe that's the nature of a film where everyone is hustling and using each other.

(mild spoliers ahead)

The film is a bit obvious and self-conscious in a few spots, and pederastic Catholic priests is a cliché the film only partially transcends (although the humanity given to the priest makes it far more interesting), and a couple of the climactic twists feel less motivated than what comes before. But worth it for the `Vertigo' like layers of reality that keep getting pulled back and forcing us to keep reassessing `good', `bad', `art' and `real.' Many critics consider this Almodovar's masterpiece - and I would happily watch it a third time. I think this is the kind of film that only grows on repeated viewings. Be sure to get the NC-17 version. The changes aren't huge, but this is the kind of film where any punches pulled takes something away.

You definitely can not say Pedro Almodovar is unoriginal or mainstream, but he is definitely one of the best foreign writers/directors currently working. Bad Education is unlike anything I have ever seen, with a transvestite, gay sex scenes (not very graphic), murder, suggested child molestation all wrapped up into one movie with unexpected twists. On top of all that we are treated with an amazing performance by Gael Garcia Bernal.

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