In the over-the-top black comedy Bad Words Jason Bateman squashes the competition in hopes to win the Golden Quill spelling bee. His trick? Since he never passed the eighth grade, he finds a loophole in the official rules which allows him to enter in a competition designed for school children.
The 40-year-old Guy Trilby, Bateman’s character, sets the premise during the first minute of the trailer, verbally shoving his competition, and judges, around. Rolling Stone which had the exclusive trailer, and noted Bateman’s vicious demeanor tones down when he befriends 10 year old Chaitanya, played by Rohan Chand of Homeland and Lone Survivor fame. With an obvious lack of how to act around kids, Bateman takes Chand racing through a supermarket and doing donuts in a convertible in an empty parking lot.
The film actual already made it’s debut in September at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Bateman told The Hollywood Reporter the decision to cast himself as the character you love to hate, was to only blame himself if he portrays the character wrong.
A dark comedy with a heart…maybe. Also starring Allison Janney, Rachael Harris, and Ben Falcone, Bad Words opens in select theaters on March 14th and nationwide on March 28th.
Image: Focus Features