Comedy
United States of America
Bad Words is a 2013 comedy-drama film directed by Jason Bateman in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Bateman as Guy Trilby, a middle-aged, misanthropic man who finds a loophole in the rules of the National Spelling Bee and enters the competition as an adult.
As Trilby advances through the rounds of the spelling bee, he forms an unlikely friendship with a young competitor named Chaitanya Chopra (Rohan Chand) and a journalist named Jenny Widgeon (Kathryn Hahn) who is covering the competition. However, Trilby also becomes the target of intense media scrutiny and backlash from the organizers of the spelling bee, led by Dr. Deagan (Allison Janney).
As the competition nears its conclusion, Trilby is forced to confront his own demons and the reasons behind his estrangement from his father, who is revealed to have been a spelling bee champion in his youth. The film ultimately delivers a poignant message about the power of forgiveness, redemption, and the importance of relationships.
Bad Words received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising Bateman's direction and performance, as well as the chemistry between Bateman and Chand. The film was also notable for its use of profanity and dark humor, which some critics found refreshing and others found off-putting. Despite its critical success, however, the film underperformed at the box office, grossing only $7.8 million worldwide on a budget of $10 million.
