No. 27. (2020) BAD EDUCATION May 17th.

Film No. 27 (2020)  May 17th.  7:35 PM.  HBO Fox Living Room   Mt. Hawthorn. W.A. 

"How far can I make a difference? I got us to number four and I will get us to number one!". (Frank explains his aim and justifies his existence even after he's been found to have displayed major deficiencies in his conduct).

Once again here is a story emanating from  an essay/article published in the glossy mag, New York in September 2004. But a warning, don't read the article if you know nothing of the story. It is a far richer and more tense experience not knowing the story behind the scandal which unraveled at Roslyn High School, Long Island in the early 2000's.

Made for the small screen by HBO with a couple of heavy weight big screen performers in Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney as Superintendent Frank Tassone and Assistant Superintendent Pam Gluckin respectively, BA tells a compelling story of how a leader with only the best intentions but with sociopathic tendencies and a compliant deputy with only greed on her mind, come to terms with their decisions and contrary personalities.

In these times of streaming, Bad Education emerges as an A Grade example of the made for T.V. movie. Every scene forms an essential building block towards asking its audience to decide how they feel about the events. While Tassone is the focus, every character displays their vulnerability with a subtle close-up or mood shift via the edgy soundtrack.

With a stable of strong documentaries (What's My Name, Running with Beto) and powerhouse T.V. series' (Succession, Chernobyl), Bad Education might just mark the beginning of Fox/HBO lifting the bar just a little higher on quality films for the small screen with a socially dramatic focus. 10GUMS.