Bad Education Movie Review: Hugh Jackman shines in this embezzlement drama

Story: A much-loved superintendent of Long Island’s Roslyn High School is determined to get the school to the top of the district, but the school finds itself in the middle of a major embezzlement scandalReview: Cory Finley burst on to the scene with the stylish thriller Thoroughbreds, a film that was both raw and gripping. In his second film, Bad Education, Finley ventures into a new territory with a dark, investigative thriller based on the true story of a corruption scandal that rocked Long Island’s Roslyn district in the early 2000s. Finley attempts to add a bit of comedy and satire into a serious story. Although subtle, it's rather ineffective and confusing. Bad Education is a film that you must watch with full focus and once you get past the distractions, it makes for a gripping watch. Dr Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) is Roslyn High School’s much-loved superintendent. He greets everybody with a smile, is always ready to listen to people’s problems, follows a carb-free diet, has a sharp memory and loves to wear suits. In essence, he’s the darling of the school, and is determined to push Long Island's Roslyn High to the number 1 school in the district. His ambitious construction project “Skywalk” seems like the gateway to achieving this goal. The business head for the project is Assistant Superintendent Pamela Gluckin (Allison Janney), who lives in a big mansion, drives a fancy car and takes vacations in Brazil – a rather unlikely lifestyle for someone in public school administration. When Rachel Bhargava (Geraldine Viswanathan), a cub reporter for the school paper Hilltop Beacon comes asking for a quote on Skywalk for a “puff piece”, Tassone tells her that good reporters can turn anything into a good story. “It’s only a puff piece if you want it to be one,” he tells her nonchalantly. Little does he realise that Rachel takes his advice seriously and goes on to uncover the largest public school embezzlement in American history.The film starts off slow with the director just feeding us information, with a little bit of subtle humour (rather dry) every now and then. You always get the sense that something might unfold – although there’s hardly an element of shock and awe when it does. When Pamela gives her sister-in-law her company card to buy her son a playstation, it triggers an unprecedented chain of events, which is when the story gets interesting. The way the young reporter uncovers the scandal, piece by piece, makes for a delightful watch. A leaking roof and a non-existent pizza oven open avenues that she could never have foreseen. There’s a telling moment when Tassone looks at her and says, “When you publish something that you don’t fully understand, there will be collateral damage that you cannot deal with.” It’s both nerve-wracking and splendid at the same time.Trouble is, Bad Education is, at times, a tad too inconsistent. It seems the director is confused about how to take the story forward. Is it an election story? A dark comedy or a story on corruption? You constantly keep asking yourself these questions and it does seem like the director is in two minds as well. For long periods of time, especially at the start, you don’t seem to know where the story is headed and begin to lose interest as a viewer.But to tie it all together is the brilliance of Hugh Jackman, who keeps you hooked to the screen even if you find it hard to. With a disarming smile but a stern, uptight demeanour, Jackson is well and truly in his element as the “Superintendent of Schools” in Long Island.There is one scene in particular, where Jackman finds the world crumbling around him and yet has to find the composure to counsel a young child. The way he delivers that scene is an acting masterclass in itself. And while Jackman is undoubtedly the star of the show, Allison Janney is another actor who makes a lasting impact as the corrupt administrator. As Pamela Gluckin, she is funny, menacing, vulnerable and scared -- all at the same time. And she wears all these hats with remarkable ease. Amid these stalwarts, young Geraldine Viswanathan, all of 24, shows incredible potential as an actor and nails the part as the sincere, nosy reporter. Her expression while her editor changes her headline to 'soften' the story and yet her perseverance while pursuing the story of the biggest embezzlement scandal -- is a joy to watch. A true story, a corruption scandal and a great star cast – Bad Education has a lot going for it. The narration isn't always the best and the film starts off in an agonisingly slow manner. But once things get heated and the embezzlement story breaks, it's hard to take your eyes off the screen. A slow-burn investigative thriller, the way the scandal is uncovered is fascinating. And when you have Hugh Jackman at the centre of it all -- it's a treat you simply cannot resist.