Have you ever noticed how hard it is to spot a really good comedy film? It's easy to spot funny bits in films but much harder to judge when a whole film is funny enough to warrant being called a good comedy.
I think it's because we're blinded by the marketing. So often films are sold to us as comedies when all they really contain is the ten funny jokes we just saw in the trailer. The set up might be funny but, as sitcom writers know, you need to keep 'em coming to keep 'em laughing through ninety minutes.
In fact, it's not really until you've sat through a whole film and realised it has consistently kept you entertained, amused and possibly even laughing that you realise you've just watched a good comedy.
But I am ready to put my hand up to say that "Bad Teacher" is a good comedy film.
If you can get past the terrible title and the fact that the front cover features Justin Timberlake in very unconvincing librarian-glasses and actually take the DVD to the rental counter, you're could be in for some fun.
Cameron Diaz plays both to, and against, type as a gorgeous female teacher who cares much more about money than she does about kids - a fact which is recognised (and appreciated) by Jason Segel's gym teacher while Justin Timberlake's dull-but-minted supply teacher cannot see through her (despite the see-through glasses).
It's edgier than you'd think, it's cruder than you'd think and it's far funnier than you'd think too.
I think that's because Cameron Diaz's character, and subsequently the story, constantly surprises. Only the surprise is how far she, and the story, are prepared to go.
The fact that this film has drugs, stealing and cheating but the most shocking thing about this bad teacher is she spends days on end making her bored students watch movies because she can't be bothered to teach them - is just one of the surprises. I won't spoil any of the others.
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