MR WOODCOCK

US, 2007, 87 minutes, Colour.
Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon, Amy Poehler, Ethan Suplee.
Directed by Craig Gillespie.

This is a brief take-it-or-leave it comedy. It is black-humoured comedy that seems not to have caught the American audiences or tickled their funnybones. It is not exactly subtle but it is quite ironic in tone and that did not appeal locally.

Which means that it may have more chance outside the US. In fact, I found the screenplay quite funny in its ironic dialogue, situations and characters, often quite clever in its observations and barbs.

Seann William Scott plays John Farley, a young man who has written a self-help bestseller – and he knows what he is talking about. He was a lone child, devoted to his mother, grieving his dead father. But he was also on the obese side, hopeless at sports, picked on – especially by the merciless gym coach, Mr Woodcock. Mr Woodcock has to be heard to be believed in the way he runs his class, allotting laps and push-ups and devastating insults in his deadpan tone. The fact that he is played by Billy Bob Thornton absolutely seriously makes the portrayal of Mr Woodcock more effective.

When the young author arrives back in his home town for a local honour, he is shocked to find that his mother, Susan Sarandon, is dating again, a man whom she finds loving, gentle, altogether attractive: Mr Woodcock. In disbelief and gradually abandoning all his self-help principles (which are spouted with chapter reference by his old school friend), John devises ways for his mother to see the light. The backfiring of these plots and the unflappability of Mr Woodcock provides some comedy.

There is a thought at the end – that people like Mr Woodcock can traumatise young minds, although, as Mr Woodcock remarks, it was only a gym class.

If you don’t like it, no problem. But, you might.

1.A satisfactory comedy? Funny? Serious? Satirical?

2.The sharp screenplay, the verbal wit, smart, cutting, irony?

3.The small town? Small town life, school, the gym, homes, the contrast with the city, the book-signings, the hotels, plane travel? The contrast with the two worlds?

4.The title, the focus for John Farley, school, his book about letting go, the effect? Mr Woodcock as the gym teacher, his severity, deadpan verbalising? The irony of his courting Beverly? John’s reaction, antagonism, the showdown?

5.The theme of individuals who damage children, cause trauma, choices? The contrast with the hurts, life – and Mr Woodcock’s comment that it was only a gym class?

6.The portrait of Jasper Woodcock, Billy Bob Thornton and his style, manner, speech, hard, talking, making the boys do laps, humiliating them, hitting them with the ball, changing their clothes, making them hang on the wall? The sadistic touches? Education?

7.The collage of the various children with Mr Woodcock, their various faults, making them exercise, run, the pep talks, the effect?

8.John and the humiliation, his being fat, changing in front of the group? Grown up, his writing the book – and the humour of letting go? His becoming thin, success? His dealings with his demanding agent? The book-signings, the people quoting the book? Going back home, the corn key and the honour from the town? His agent’s reaction? The locals receiving him at the airport, his return? Meeting his mother? Finding Tracy? Finding Nedderman? Finding Mr Woodcock?

9.Beverly, Susan Sarandon’s style, mother-love, pride in her son? Her courting Jasper? The dates, in love, the night, the bed, John under the bed? The outings, the meals? Mr Woodcock and his clashes with John, the proposal to Beverly? John’s anger? His mother’s reaction? Her wanting to marry, her saying that her son was self-centred, her explanation of bringing him up, the death of his father? Her going on the float, her memories of the past? Seeing the two – and the happy ending?

10.John and his upset, talking with Mr Woodcock, the meal, not sorry? Going to the gym, the confrontation, seeing Mr Woodcock’s continued treatment of the children? The fight and the wrestling? Going to the fair, the shooting, wanting to win the toy, Mr Woodcock and his superiority? The corn-eating competition, performance? His suspicions of Woodcock, his mother? Memories of his father? Going to the house, misjudging the estate agent, the underwear, under the bed? His returning, fighting with Mr Woodcock? His motivations? The build-up to the ceremony? John’s behaviour at the ceremony? Misjudging people, the boy who was not dead, being deceived by Nederman? Everybody’s embarrassment? His own?

11.Nederman, his help, quoting the book, his dimwitted brother, his telling untruths, the investigation, the video and his leering attitude?

12.Tracy, memories of the past, school, nice, the outing at the fair, her reaction at the ceremony?

13.John’s strange behaviour, the searching of the house, the truth about the estate agent, the outburst, the attack on Mr Woodcock, everything false?

14.The procession, his mother on the float, Mr Woodcock, the confrontation – and the reconciliation?

15.Judging people? The humour, the serious aspects of the film?