Bad Education

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Bad Education

NC-17,

2004,

1h 44m,

Drama/

Crime/

LGBTQ+

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Watchlist

89%

144 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

25,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

144 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

When an old friend brings filmmaker Enrique Goded a semi-autobiographical script chronicling their adolescence, Enrique is forced to relive his youth spent at a Catholic boarding school. Weaving through past and present, the script follows a transvestite performer who reconnects with a grade school sweetheart. Spurred on by this chance encounter, the character reflects on her childhood sexual victimization and the trauma of closeting her sexual orientation.

Critics Consensus

A layered, wonderfully-acted, and passionate drama.

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Will Self

London Evening Standard

Jan 9, 2018

The problem with the film is its very staginess -- it never really seems to get out of drag. Between the impersonations of the priesthood, the impersonations of the transvestites and the impersonations of the actors themselves, there is little to choose.

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Alan A. Stone

Sight & Sound

Jun 18, 2012

If Americans are allowed to see this film they may well conclude that the mature Almodvar is now ready to take his place alongside the great Buuel.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Nov 1, 2007

Like a Chinese box, it has layers under layers, fictions within fictions. A mystery and an intricate triangular love story, it's also a tale about storytelling itself, the uses of art and artifice to make the unbearable bearable.

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Dave Giannini

InSession Film

Feb 20, 2024

La Mala Educacion is a tremendous film that ranks high not only in 2004 but in Almodovar’s filmography.

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Carson Timar

ClapperCast

Jan 20, 2024

There is a lot of value here, I like the conversations on performance and repression, but there was just something here that was missing for me.

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Darren Frei

Out Magazine

May 25, 2022

[Almodóvar manipulates] reality into a passionate, masterful orchestration that begs an encore viewing.

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Theodore S

Apr 17, 2018

Typical Almodovar's work with good actings.

Draco G

Jan 4, 2018

Male education is one of the most controversial films that I have seen. Gael Garcia Bernal is one of my favorite actors and he proves it in this film. This is a very disturbing film and very twisted at the end. This film delivers the goods in all aspects and is going down as one of the best performances of Gael Garcia Bernal. As that being said for this movie being great and seeing how Mexican movies are being hits in the states, I give " Bad Education " a C.

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Finn R

May 26, 2017

Brilliant movie. ð??? ð??? ð??? ð??? ð???

Ron S

Feb 10, 2017

Bad Education surpasses all expectations telling this passionate love story with more than a few twist.

Kylo S

Feb 7, 2017

Small Picture : Molestation Movie. Big Picture : Movie about love, lost innocence and redemption. Great work by Almodovar, and one of Gael Garcia Bernal's best performance.

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Harry W

Jan 19, 2017

Mucho tiempo sin verla. Olvidaba lo espectacular que es esta película.

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Pedro Almodóvar

Director

Fele Martínez

Enrique Goded

Gael García Bernal

Ángel

Daniel Giménez Cacho

Padre Manolo

Lluís Homar

Sr. Manuel Berenguer

Javier Cámara

Paca

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Synopsis

When an old friend brings filmmaker Enrique Goded a semi-autobiographical script chronicling their adolescence, Enrique is forced to relive his youth spent at a Catholic boarding school. Weaving through past and present, the script follows a transvestite performer who reconnects with a grade school sweetheart. Spurred on by this chance encounter, the character reflects on her childhood sexual victimization and the trauma of closeting her sexual orientation.

Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Producer: Agustín Almodóvar, Pedro Almodóvar
Screenwriter: Pedro Almodóvar
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: El Deseo S.A., Televisión Española (TVE), Canal+ España
Rating: NC-17 (Explicit Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, Crime, LGBTQ+
Original Language: European Spanish
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 19, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.2M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital

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