Mr. Woodcock

source: Mr. Woodcock

What started out as a mildly entertaining comedy version of "The Count of Monte Cristo" (you know : wronged man exacts revenge upon the body of his enemy, where you find yourself rooting for the former pupil of an unbelievably cruel gym teacher, to finally get the better of his Nemesis, actually ends with the morally ambiguous (to say the least) finale, which states that it is actually alright for teachers to bully, humiliate, hit, and generally terrorize children. Well done, Mr. producer. Instead of the pretty damaged youth getting the upper hand on the man that virtually ruined him for life, we get this cheesy "moral" of "what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger." Great. Now that we've all had that epiphany, there's nothing that stands in the way of us making life for our children completely unbearable anymore. It actually feels like the jocks from school made this movie to justify themselves...

I only saw 5 minuets of this trash heep and thats all i need. Here are all the reasons why i hate it. 1. The main character is such a freaking unlikable little * that this can even be called an anti-hero film. 2. The mom is a clueless * and deserves to die. 3. When a movie has a good vs. evil thing going on, it helps to have the good side represent something of it's self other than it just being the good side. 4. I honestly don't find it amusing when more than half the movie is just mean spirited humor on the main character, and thats not because i ave a faint heart or anything, i actually can withstand watching torture in movies but nor when its played for laughs. 5. The score is so lame and annoying. 6. A complete WAST of Susan Sarandon' talent. 7. I honestly don't find any of the 6 characters i stayed to see at all likable. 8. billy bob Thornton is so annoying in this movie. 9. I didn't see the ending but I think its safe to say that no one killed mr. woodcock in the end. i don't see why the main character didn't just kill him in the kitchen the morning after mr. woodcock beat him with a baseball bat. Please folks do not wast your time with this awful wast of film and money.

I really was down and depressed when I saw this movie. Me and my friends thought it was going to be hilarious but all it was about was a self help guy. Who finds out his old gym teacher is dating his mum. That sounds very funny. I wasn't surprised when it came about 8th in the charts in the U.K. There is one very funny part in the film and that nearly made me nearly laugh out loud but it did'not. This is rubbish and gets a depressing 2/10. Come on make better comedies like employee of the month or grow your own. Even Casablanca had more laughs then this film. Who ever made it should be ashamed of them selves. And also with the name John Farley you would of thought they could use Chris Farley. We all love him. Not some stupid rubbish actor.

You could call Mr. Woodcock the latest version of The Billy Bob Thornton Movie. You know, that movie where he plays ornery elder to assorted subordinates, each insult or physical assault a sign of his arrogance and superiority, even as he's waiting to be revealed as a decent guy who only needs to be appreciated. He is, of course, always smarter and faster than all his opponents. Whether you see him as the bully of your own childhood or the payback that bully so richly deserves, you tend not to see the Billy Bob Thornton character as you. In the new version of the BBTM, Thornton plays a gym teacher with a tedious name, introduced as he's pummeling little boys with basketballs, tormenting the ones who are overweight, stutter, or have asthma, infusing all of them with lifelong insecurities and nightmares. Johnny, a cute, freckle-faced boy, described by Woodcock as "fat and gelatinous," grows up to be Seann William Scott. In so doing, he appears to have escaped his fellow victims' pattern. In fact, John has written a best-selling self-help book, Letting Go, all about forgetting the past in order to move on.

"Take a lap!" "Set of 10!" With a name like W-o-o-d-c-o-c-k (roll it off your tongue slowly for maximum effect), you'd have expect the jokes to come fast and furious about the appendage. Well there are, however, the best parts of Mr Woodcock are not the sexual innuendos, but come from the various gymnasium scenes, where Jasper Woodcock (Billy Bob Thorton) the PE teacher runs his classes like a sadistic drill sergeant, and all the misfits tremble in fear and loathe as he puts them through the paces, with physical, mental and emotional abuse dished out in deadpan manner. The filmmakers know this, and set the bar high enough from the get go, but only for the movie to spiral in the general southwards direction. Thirteen years after his unforgettable years of growing up under Mr Woodcock's insults, John Farley (Seann William Scott) becomes a renowned self help guru and published a bestseller called "Letting Go: How to Get Past Your Past", because it takes one successful loser to teach the rest how to move on. During a journey back home where you're hit with a barrage of literally corny jokes, John realizes to his horror that his mother Beverly (Susan Sarandon) is now dating Mr Woodcock, and he makes it his mission to dissuade her from giving him a new stepdad, one who has been the bane of his childhood. That basically becomes the premise of the movie, and a highly predictable one at that. You'll see from a mile away every conceivable plot development coming toward you, and it doesn't help that the short run time of under 90 minutes probably meant some material were reserved for the DVD release. You can tell by some of the continuity errors, helped in no part by John's bad haircut episode. Billy Bob Thorton owns the movie as Woodcock, delivery his deliciously acidic remarks with aplomb. Alpha-male type roles are nothing new to Thorton, and bullying or whipping losers to shape are part of the game, just like School for Scoundrels. And here he plays the unapologetic teacher with EQ problems, taking perverse delight in seeing his charges suffer. Sean William Scott is better known unfortunately for his loud and over the top Stifler from the American Pie movies, but given a rather muted character like John Farley, he fades away quicker than you can spell l-o-s-e-r. Susan Sarandon rounds up the lead cast as the woman caught between two men, and frankly I thought it was like an extension of her mother's role in Elizabethtown. Look out for more Sarandon in an upcoming movie called Enchanted, which takes the mickey out of a Disney movie. Most of the other supporting cast like Amy Poehler and Ethan Suplee got wasted, with the former being a self-professed alcoholic Barbie doll, while the other a fanatic who had read John's book 900 times and counting. Mr Woodcock isn't laugh out loud or laugh a minute, but it has its moments. Sadly, most of the best bits made their way to the trailers, making the movie seem like an empty shell. And given the editing fiasco of late, Mr Woodcock suffers from censorship too, with what I thought was just verbal expressions of ecstasy being snipped off and left on the cutting room floor. Pity.

I enjoy watching the stars of this movie in their other projects so I really wanted to like this movie. I especially liked Billy Bob Thornton in "School for Scoundrels" so hoped this was a lot of more of similar humor as 2 "enemies" try to one up each other. I believed that due to the previews which play up the humor and conflict between the two characters. Wow, the actual movie is sadly different. The slapstick humor from the previews is noticeably missing and instead there are only a few laughs. Most of those come from Amy Poehler or Ethan Suplee. John Farley (Sean William Scott) just comes across as mean and unlikeable. Jasper Woodcock (Thornton) is dry and unfunny and through various scenes appears to be a person deserving pity almost. Beverly Farley (Susan Sarandon) is similarly sad as her tale unfolds. Rather than the light hearted slapstick comedy I was expecting, I got more of a dark comedy such as War of the Roses. This did not work even as well as that movie, which I also disliked. To have such a great cast, it is just really sad that this was the movie was they made. I am happy that I did not see it in the theater so I did not lose nearly as much money. This is definitely one I recommend people pass by, or better yet, watch the previews and imagine what you think the movie was. I wish I could do that.

Its an average movie, its not that great but it isn't bad also. It has some funny moments but I expected a non stop laughing comedy but it wasn't. The story about John Farley a man Who as a kid was a little overweight and received the abuse of his gym teacher, returns to his hometown just to notice that his mother is dating the same gym teacher , he will try everything to break up the relationship. The cast is very good. Billy Bob Thornton in a role that fits him like a glove but that has been repeating for the last three movies. Susan Sarandon is good, her performance is quite regular. Sean William Scott was OK, a performance that wasn't developed to the 100%. Amy Poehler role as a neurotic and alcoholic manager was really funny. In general this is a movie that you will enjoy but its not the best option to spend a good time. Watch it if you don't have a better thing to do

go out and watched this movie at weekend. but feel awful the whole day. it ruined my whole weekend. I know American movies suppose to be a happy ending. but this movie is totally political wrong. Mr. Woodcock, beating student, offensive words to kids, in stead of teaching but punishing people, is not funny. such an evil teacher should not have a happy ending. he should end up into prison. feel bad after watching this movie. really really don't understand why such a movie could be public. where are the parents? Anybody have the same feeling with me?

Self-help guru who hated his gym teacher goes home to find his mom engaged to said teacher, stilted merriment tries to ensue. The idea is sound the execution isn't. Woodcock, Billy Bob Thorton's gym teacher character is much too one dimensional to really work since he has one expression the whole time. Sean William Scott as the self help guru tries too hard to be wacky and falls on his face. Actually the script just doesn't work since its so obvious where its going. There are laughs and smiles despite of the lack of it all hanging together, and one "Whoa" nervous "oh crap he really got hurt" laugh towards the end. Worth a look on a slow night on cable where you'll be more forgiving of the dull bits on the way to the good ones.