The Heart in "Bad Words"

In his directorial debut “Bad Words,” Jason Bateman stars as the shameless and foul-mouthed man-child Guy Trilby, breaking away from his typecast as the perpetually exasperated middle-aged man with seeming ease. At the age of 40, Guy has decided to enter the National Quill spelling bee, a competition intended for children who have not yet passed the eighth grade, by exploiting a loophole in its rules. At his side (or perhaps his heels) is reporter Jenny Widgeon (Kathryn Hahn) who has agreed to sponsor the withholding Guy in exchange for his story. As Jenny attempts to suss out Guy’s motivations, Guy heedlessly charges through the competition in spite of the outrage of parents and administrators alike. In the process, he finds himself the subject of fellow contestant Chaitainya Chopra’s (Rohan Chand) unwanted attention. Guy’s abrasive quips seem to have no effect on the persistently adorable boy, and thus the pair form an unlikely relationship. Devilishly funny and surprisingly thoughtful, “Bad Words” does not disappoint.

Bateman’s Guy is a delight; not once does the character pull punches, eliminating his competition with a hilariously flippant ruthlessness, undoubtedly traumatizing several children in the process. His behavior is deliciously nasty, and his dialogue wrought with a devastatingly witty petulance. However, it is not at all hard to find Guy endearing, as there is the charm of frankness in his unrelenting discourteousness and a depth to his character in his inherent intellect and interesting background. Guy’s motivations are a key mystery in the film, but it is immediately apparent he did not simply enter the bee on a whim. As his deeply personal reasons for entering the bee come to light, they reveal a tale of revenge—however, “Bad Words” does not try to explain away or justify Guy’s nature.

Likewise, Jenny Widgeon’s character is handled with a similar disregard for rationalizations. However, this does not always work to her advantage. Ever the nosy reporter, Jenny serves as an effective and efficient mechanism for getting to know our protagonist, Guy, but otherwise proves to be the film’s weakest link. In some of the film’s most dissonant scenes, Jenny and Guy engage in a strange series of flirtations that begin with a callous exchange of insults and end with begrudging and frantic sex. This not-so-romantic side plot has its merits; it certainly delivers some humor, as well as showing a glimmer of unexpected sincerity as Guy and Jenny’s exchanges begin to carry a nuanced affection towards the end of the film. Thankfully, no attempt is made to explore the relationship beyond these little encounters rendering this subplot merely an excuse to add more debauchery to the film. In the end, Guy and Jenny’s relationship fits uncomfortably with the rest of the script. Though Hahn’s performance was astute, her character is easily overshadowed by the duo of Guy and Chaitainya.

Undoubtedly the relationship between Guy and Chaitainya was the highlight of the film. There is something inherently funny about matching the innocent and chatty Chaitainya with the morally bankrupt and misanthropic Guy. Their exchanges, which typically consist of Chaitainya’s whimsical musings and Guy’s curt and vulgar responses, are thoroughly enjoyable. In one of the most entertaining scenes in the film, the pair spend a night out at town, resulting in a riotous montage of their misdeeds set to the Beastie Boys. The seasoned troublemaker Guy and the enthralled Chaitainya go about their mischief with unbridled glee, bringing chaos with them wherever they go. At the end of this night, after Chaitainya asks Guy if their time together means that they are now friends, Guy responds with a dry smile and the middle finger, encapsulating the nature of their relationship: bright-eyed enthusiasm met with begrudging affection. Their camaraderie is deceptive, however, as “Bad Words” refuses to grant us the typical story of the gruff old soul being warmed by an innocent young heart without throwing us a few twists.

Though the film fails to escape all clichés, it does not so much succumb to them as it brilliantly subverts them with a gleeful abrasiveness, turning what in any other film would be a hammy and touching scene into a hilarious bout of misanthropic shenanigans. Overall, the film’s well-paced script wastes no time on exposition, effectively juggling humor with coherency. Unfortunately the script does have a tendency to wander, lending an organic feel to the plot, but ultimately detracting from the heart of the film. And here in itself lies a pleasant surprise—the film actually has a heart. “Bad Words” does not simply scrounge up a plot for the sake of setting up a string of punch lines, but instead offers a short and bittersweet story about letting go. Suffusing this theme is the film’s own tendency to dismiss itself; a refusal to take anything too seriously or grant us any moral or message to take home. As Guy muses towards the end of the film in his own attempt to sum up his experience, “They’re just words.” “Bad Words” proves exactly that: words are what we make them, and the result can be strangely cathartic. After all, there is something to be said about a film that can turn the middle finger into a gesture of endearment.

—Contributing writer Ariana L. Tyler can be reached at arianatyler@college.harvard.edu.