School for Scoundrels (2006)

Director:

Todd Phillips

Writers (WGA):

Todd Phillips (screenplay) &
Scot Armstrong (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 September 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Too nice? Too honest? Too *you*? Help is on the way.

Plot:

A young guy short on luck, enrolls in a class to build confidence to help win over the girl of his dreams, which becomes complicated when his teacher has the same agenda.

Plot Keywords:

Airport | Tennis | Paintball Gun | Helicopter | Pepper Spray

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Billy Bob Thornton	...	Dr. P
Jon Heder	...	Roger
Jacinda Barrett	...	Amanda
Michael Clarke Duncan	...	Lesher
Sarah Silverman	...	Becky
David Cross	...	Ian
Matt Walsh	...	Walsh
Horatio Sanz	...	Diego
Todd Louiso	...	Eli
Jon Glaser	...	Ernie
Paul Scheer	...	Little Pete
Ben Stiller	...	Lonnie
Luis Guzmán	...	Sergeant Moorehead
Dan Fogler	...	Zack
DeRay Davis	...	Bee Bee

Also Known As:

The Better Man (USA) (working title)
Acemi ögrenci avci ögretmen (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Der Date Profi (Germany) [de]
Elumeeste kool (Estonia) [et]
Escola de Idiotas (Brazil) [pt]
Escuela de idiotas (Venezuela) [es]
Escuela de pringaos (Spain) [es]
Escuela de tontos (Argentina) (DVD title) [es]
Escuela para idiotas (Peru) [es]
L'école des dragueurs (France) [fr]
L'académie des losers (Canada: French title) [fr]
Luuseriopisto (Finland) (DVD box title) [fi]
Nördskolan (Sweden) [sv]
School for scoundrels - Scuola per canaglie (Italy) [it]
Sholi gia apateones (Greece) [el]
Skola svádení (Czech Republic) [cs]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language, crude and sexual content, and some violence.

Runtime:

100 min | USA:108 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Ireland:12A | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-7 | USA:Not Rated (unrated version) | Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Peru:14 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

Director Todd Phillips first offered the lead role to Howard Stern (Phillips is a big Stern fan), but Stern had to turn it down because he was about to leave terrestrial radio for satellite radio and did not have the time to film a movie. The role eventually went to Billy Bob Thornton.

Goofs:

Factual errors: A defibrillator delivers one instantaneous jolt, not an extended current. Once the paddles discharge through a conductor (like the human body), they are no longer electrified until he machine is activated again and can build up a charge.

Quotes:

Dr. P: Every once in a while, a shepherd has to pluck a sheep from the heard and challenge him. It lets the man know he's worthy of leading him.
Roger: Well, you know what? I don't want to be a shepherd anymore!
Dr. P: You're not the shepherd, DUMB ASS, I'm the shepherd! Its called an analogy, moron!
Roger: Look, you dont understand. Everything was going so well between us.
Dr. P: Well, clearly I'm sure you're just days away from adopting a Chinese kid together.

Movie Connections:

Features "The Tony Danza Show" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Dimension

Fun and Very Funny, But an Old Formula

This is a fun movie that offers exactly what the previews promise and a little more. John Heder does a great job as does Billy Bob Thornton. The only drawback of the plot is that we've seen it a million times before if you watch this genre of movie. Dr. P (Billy Bob Thornton) plays an overbearing and obnoxious school teacher teaching Roger (John Heder) and the other students how not to be wimps. The purpose of the course backfires when Roger finds out Dr. P does not like to be outdone. This movie could be compared to any comedy where the underdog must overcome the odds to win the girl. Regardless of the predictable plot, the comedy is clever and fun. This movie is worth seeing in the theater. The previews are faithful, but don't give away all of the humor. The humor is consistent throughout and it doesn't leave you tapping you fingers or looking at your watch.