Teaching Mrs. Tingle

Mirren makes this strangely watchable. Is it a comedy? Is it a thriller? Well, it's certainly a failure. It intends to be a movie about hard-done-by teens exacting cruel vengeance on their old bitch of a teacher, but you quickly find yourself rooting for the old coot to bash their vapid little brains in. Or shoot them with a crossbow. Or something. Just please, somebody, kill those fucking kids.

Scientists have attempted to explain the presence of Helen Mirren in this film. More than a decade after its release, they have yet to propose a viable theory.

Katie Holmes is good in movies where she shows her boobs. Since I only can think of a single movie where that's the case, this film must suck.

Williamson's first and only film as director, with which he rode his remaining goodwill into the ground (with a little help from Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold). This is despite the fact that Holmes, Coughlan, and Watson seem to have been cast primarily on the basis of their qualifications as a Neve Campbell, Rose McGowan, and Skeet Ulrich type, respectively. But any magic's gone and the meta bits very laboured and annoying (Ringwald, yeesh). Yet yes, Mirren alone nearly makes it worthwhile.

Some of the dialogue is OK, but, in terms of actual plot and story, this is pretty bad. I find it hard to believe that the guy who penned Scream is also responsible for this. I would have thought, if I didn't know better, that this had come from a Kevin Williamson fan, who tried, and failed, to emulate him.

The 20 points go for Hellen Mirren, though I fail to figure out why did she decide to be in this.

The fundamental issue with this movie is that none of the high school movie stereotypes are likable, especially compared to Helen Mirren's Mrs. Tingle, whose greatest sin is being a high school teacher (where she's considered a bitch) instead of a college professor (where she'd be considered normal). Unfortunately, the film isn't set up so the audience can like the evil antagonist, like Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs. We're stuck rooting for this movie's equivalent of Buffalo Bill.

Shitty direction and another cringe-worthy, goody-goody performance by Katie Holmes (really hot sex scene though), saved solely by Helen Mirren as the deliciously cunty teacher/villain. She JUST makes the whole thing work as an watchable, nostalgic time waster.

I liked Mirren, that is all.

How did Helen Mirren get involved in this ghastly piece of trash?

Mirren is the whole show here, and I almost want to recommend the movie on the strength of her utterly brilliant evocation of the snaky, vicious, titular Tingle, wringing every drop from Williamson’s uneven screenplay which never settles on tone or intent, making it unclear whether we’re rooting for Tingle or against her; Holmes, Coughlan and Watson do decent work, but the screenplay turns their characters pretty unlikable (before the gag-inducing “all's well that ends well” finale!)

Pretty awful movie with some funny moments (deserves 5 point total) thanks to bad acting performances by Katie Holmes and Barry Watson. Probably, they are the worst couple ever.

41.500

60.000

So much fun, "Plymouth Rock" FTW.

As a dark comedy-thriller, this movie lacks humor and thrill.

Cleverly snowballs through different tones and genres with cinematic trickery, however it's not quite as successful as Mr. Williamson's masterpiece, Scream, lacking real visceral suspense, thrill, horror, or humor at its core. There are some amazing performances from Dame Helen Mirren and Marisa Coughlan though. Seriously, who is Marisa Coughlan and why isn't she a famous/award winning actress? The Exorcist scene is insane! Overall a commendable effort just a few decisions shy of brilliance.

A repressed memory...

The performances aren't the best but they manage to make this film one of my favorites.

good movie

Sucked.

I really should have rated this movie lower, but it can be commended for being an excellent visual example of irony.

Just because it isn't the movie i wanted it to be doesn't mean it's a bad movie. The acting is really quite good, & the people all cute enough to hold attention. None of the characters make any transformation, & the weak story really starts to fall apart toward the end. If it's a comedy, it really isn't funny, & if its a thriller its not thrilling so it just sort of sits there on the screen. I don't know what to make of it.

From what I remember, I think this was really stupid.