School for Scoundrels (2006)

Todd Phillips is known for making funny, original comedies. From the director of Road Trip, Old School, Starsky & Hutch, and The Hangover comes School for Scoundrels.Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Heder star in this funny movie. Heder plays Roger, a hopeless romantic who wants to better his life and get the attention of a girl named Amanda. He attends a class taught by Dr. P, played by Thornton.Dr. P is not afraid to say it like it is. He believes that people have self help books because their self sucks. He has morals that are unusual, but knows how to actually make his students better themselves.Roger has even more to fight for as Dr. P always chooses one student to give a much harder time to. Roger is that student and doesn't know what to do. Later, he stands up to Dr. P and ends up graduating his class.This movie has some laughs, but lacks some morality. It is still a solid effort by director Todd Phillips. Phillips knows how to make a movie and original, but this one was a little cheesy, but still a sold effort. There is also a hilarious cameo by Ben Stiller as a former student who also got picked on by Dr. P.

Jon Heder stars as a pathetic meter maid who enrolls in a confidence-building course under the tutelage of Billy Bob Thornton, who undertakes the role of turning him and the rest of his class into lions. As Heder's confidence grows, he begins to show his true interest in the girl across the hall from his own apartment, but things really take a turn for the worse as Thornton pretends to show an interest in the girl, too, in an effort to get Heder to the next level.I thought this film would be one of those teenager flicks that would be profanity every other word, but it wasn't. The premise of the movie was all right, but the plot probably could have used a little more work. Someone turned me onto this film, telling me that it would not be at all like I expected, and I rather enjoyed the time I spent watching it, but, looking back, it seemed like there's something missing to the film. The chemistry between Thornton and Heder was very good but it just lacked that "something" that would have made this a great film. Thornton has had those roles lately that just make you want to hate him (Mr. Woodcock, for example), and I feel that he has a range of much more than he's been trying to accomplish, lately. It just felt like the cast and crew just sat down, laid out the movie plot, then filmed it.7 out of 10 stars.

Imagine the poor nerd-like Roger, who is humiliated on a daily basis by his co-workers. He is such a pathetic individual that even the Big Brother group he mentors want to get rid of him. What to do? How about enrolling in a school that will give him the skills that will help him overcome his own shortcomings. For that, he goes to Dr. P's school where supposedly he will learn, among other things, how to overcome his inability to deal with the tormentors he faces everywhere and then get to have great sex that has been denied to him.The premise of this comedy must have sounded great to the people behind the project. Todd Phillips, after all, is a major talent that has done much better. Writing the screenplay together with Scot Armstrong, and loosely based on the original English film of the same title, one would have expected a laughter riot. After all, the casting seemed made in heaven.The pairing of Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Heder, should have yielded an edgier comedy, but alas, it was not meant to be. One cannot blame the actors involved because the material given for them to act, doesn't hold many surprises. There are isolated parts that are funny and work. Most of the time the gags feel flat.Even though the end product is not what one expected, "School of Scoundrels" has its moments and it could be a film to watch with friends if the group is into a party mood.

and great as ever. Billy Bob plays Dr. P, a teacher for losers with low self esteem. Roger is a new student, played by the funny Jon Herder. He wants to stop being pushed around and to get a girl, Amanda. We get several funny scenes of Dr. P asking his students to be more confrontational. At the paint ball game, Roger proves to be learning quickly, which causes Dr. P to want to one up him. So, Dr. P makes a play for Amanda. He says he is a doctor and sweet talks her all the while infuriating Roger. He even convinces Amanda that Roger needs mental help. But in the end Roger uses the help of friends to get back at Dr. P. He almost gets tricked again but remembers one of Dr. P's number one rules. Lie, Lie, Lie. Ben Stiller makes a cameo as one of Dr. P's former students who was traumatized by him. He wants revenge.FINAL VERDICT: Quite a few funny scenes. Worth watching.