School for Scoundrels
Director: Todd Phillips
Year Released: 2006
Rating: 0.5
Awkward goof (Jon Heder) seeks tutelage in developing his masculine side from a surrogate father (Billy Bob Thornton), only to battle faux-Daddy for the rights to a bland, one-dimensional female figure (Jacinda Barrett). It's not so much offensive as just incompetent - Heder can't do anything but his emasculated Napoleon Dynamite shtick and he and Barrett don't have a droplet of chemistry together while Thornton's just doing a more refined version of his Bad Santa/Bad News Bears louse (he's still crafty, but he's also got a house in the 'burbs and a nicer wardrobe). So uninspired I actually found myself liking the obligatory Ben Stiller bit role as a recluse bent on revenge ... and when Stiller's a bright spot in your comedy, yikes....
