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Bad Education Movie Review

Bad Education is a 2004 Spanish drama film directed by Pedro Almodovar and starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Fele Martinez. It’s a ridiculous, but wildly entertaining flick.

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“I think I’ve just lost my faith at this moment,

so I no longer believe in God or hell.

As I don’t believe in hell, I’m not afraid.

And without fear I’m capable of anything“

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Ignacio and Enrique are childhood friends who, as adults, are forced to relive their past that is smeared with emotional and sexual abuse. Bad Education just might be the most masculine movie that Almodovar has ever made. Yes, it has a transgender character, but the movie is otherwise brimming with male energy and homosexuality.

As for its tone, the movie isn’t really a thriller and that was my main issue with it. This type of sensational story and a titillating premise needed a more intense approach and execution. Yes, we do get those elements in some scenes, but for the most part Almodovar played it straight, which was disappointing.

Gael Garcia Bernal was incredible in the main role or should I say roles. He killed it as multiple people that he had to portray here. He was believable throughout and this was the film that used his sensuality and good looks best. 2004 was a huge year for this actor with this film and ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’ and he would never again get such amazing roles.

Fele Martinez and Daniel Gimenez Cacho were excellent too, though I had some problems with both of these characters. The former was not particularly well developed while the latter was this horrible human being whose behavior was partially excused. The whole child abuse storyline was seriously mishandled, creepy and inappropriate, which was to be expected from this edgy and sexually provocative filmmaker.

Bad Education is the soapiest Almodovar movie without a doubt. It has that trashy telenovela quality to it that made it both ridiculous and highly entertaining. It’s the type of guilty pleasure experience that is at times quite refreshing to have. It is also one of his sexiest films as it is bursting with passion, sensuality and excitement.

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The structure is interesting as the movie is edited chaotically, which further made the story more disorienting and puzzling. It’s a fun movie for sure, but the third act contained so many twists and turns that were at the end of the day too illogical and implausible. It’s one of the most fun films that the director has made, but also one of the slightest.