Year:
1999
Studio:
Dimension Films/Miramax Films
Movie:
3/5
DVD:
1/5
Teaser
Three students at a local high school become involved in a convoluted
plot to clear themselves when one of them is to be accused of cheating.
Leigh Ann (Katie Holmes) is a Valedictorian candidate, something she
desperately needs for the scholarship money she can use to attend
college. Unfortunately, she is only one point behind rival Trudie (Liz
Stauber) and when her History project is shot down by dreaded History
teacher Mrs Tingle (Helen Mirren), things look bleak.
Luke (Barry Watson), the school rebel and all-around cool guy loser,
tries to help by copying the final exam and giving it to Leigh Ann, who
doesn't want any part of it. Unfortunately, Mrs Tingle catches the two
with Leigh Ann's best friend Jo Lynn (Marisa Coughlan) and the test.
Now it looks like Leigh Ann is ruined, unless the trio can somehow stop
Mrs Tingle before she reports them to Principal Potter (Michael McKean)
on the morrow.
Movie
"Teaching Mrs Tingle" is a drama with some dark comedy and a bit of
thriller thrown in. The three high school students end up imprisoning
Mrs Tingle. Then it's a race between implementing a plan to blackmail
her, being discovered by Mrs Tingle's illicit lover, or having their
little group torn apart by Mrs Tingle's psychological manipulations.
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It's
definitely not a movie that I expected and not a movie that is
easily categorized. It's a teen movie but the teens are doing
questionable things, things that they question themselves. It's not a
simple case of innocent kids against an oppressive authority. The
situation slowly gets out of hand and there is real doubt whether or
not the students can ever turn away from the precipice they're heading
towards.
Actors
Katie Holmes is just way too cute to play villains or anything other
than innocent girls. That may hurt her career later on. But then again
you can do a lot with good makeup. Marisa Coughlan has a pretty neat
role as an aspiring actress as she gets to do a Marylin Monroe
impersonation and act out a scene from The Exorcist. Barry Watson has
the look of a young Johnny Depp or younger Skeet Ulrich.
DVD
No extras other than the trailer.
Recommendations
Not a bad movie. Different enough that I can recommend it.
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