Bad Education
BAD EDUCATION has a lot going for it-embezzlement, small town politics, a man with a secret life and a penchant for cosmetic surgery. All the makings for a great film and yet it ever so slightly misses the mark. The HBO film is based on the wild and true story of Long Island superintendent Dr. Frank Tassone, a man who orchestrated the largest public school embezzlement scheme in U.S. history. For such an interesting plot, the movie could have really pushed the envelope and gone there but instead it ends up settling somewhere in the middle, resulting in an entertaining but lacking film. It’s not an exhilarating "where did the money go" ride but it also isn't exactly dull. You’ll be hooked until the end to see how it all plays out but it just could have been better.
While the story is fascinating it feels like the plot ultimately takes a back seat to Hugh Jackman and the whole thing becomes the "Let's see how good Hugh Jackman is" show. His performance is good but it never really lands. He seems to rely more on the physical transformation he has undergone as an actor rather than really digging into being Frank Tassone emotionally. It doesn’t feel like you ever really get into the why of his character. There are glimpses of it here and there but we never really understand his motives. Everyone likes nice things in life but what is it exactly that has led this man to concoct this money stealing scheme? And in the end, when you really want to see him spiral out of control as he looses his grip on life, Jackman doesn’t fully go there and it makes the whole thing feel lacking.
There are parts of the movie I did really enjoy. Allison Janney is so good I wanted more of her character than Jackman's. She plays the role of co-conspirator with such great subtly and commitment that I actually liked her even though she was totally guilty. The high school newspaper subplot is also well done but I, again, did want more from it. Geraldine Viswanathan is really likable and relatable as a young reporter who uncovers what is really going on but the situations she gets put into are a bit too predictable. I wanted more of her uncovering the embezzlement- which were the most interesting parts of the film- and less of her crisis of conscience over going ahead with publishing it.
We've all met a Frank Tassone at some point. The guy who everyone loves but is just a bit too slick, does a little too much sweet talking. The kind of guy you might secretly roll your eyes at yet never really view as anything other than harmless. It's easy to see how that kind of a person would be able to pull this kind of a thing off and it is fascinating to see it come to life. I just wanted the movie to pack more of a punch. To have more "will he actually get away with it" suspense and less of the "I'm watching someone on a slow march to prison" feeling that you get right from the first shot. This was the rare case where I actually enjoyed reading the New York Magazine article the story is based on more than I did watching the film. It's all fascinating stuff but it just could have been better.