Synopsis: From two-time Academy Award®-winner Pedro Almodovar (2002 Best Original Screenplay, Talk to Her, 2000 Best Foreign Language Film, All About My Mother) comes Bad Education, an outrageous tale of desire, revenge and murder. Filmmaker Enrique (Fele Martínez) gets a visit from an aspiring actor claiming to be his old school friend Ignacio (Gael Garcia Bernal, The Motorcycle Diaries, Y Tu Mama Tambien), who has written a story about their traumatic childhood spent at Catholic school. In the story, a drag performer known as Zahara (also played by Bernal) attempts to blackmail a predatory priest by exposing their scandalous past. The tale provides the inspiration for Enrique¹s next film. But when the villainous priest from their school days arrives on to tell his own version of the events, the truth is wilder than anything anyone could have imagined!
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I stopped really paying attention to Pedro Almodóvar many years ago, around the time of ‘Kika’. I was amused with his quirky style but missed that one and never really kept up afterwards. Sure, I knew that he was still shelling them out regularly and the acclaim never ended, but, for reasons unknown I couldn’t be bothered to keep up.
But I nonetheless watched a few of his films along the way, including ‘Hable con ella’, ‘Todo sobre mi madre’ and ‘La mala educación’.
Thing is, they left so little impression on me that I can’t really remember anything about them. Over time, things blurred and the three became interchangeable. In fact, I had completely forgotten about ‘La mala educación’. 
So it is that I ended up watching it again, even though there was much doubt nagging at me. Being coaxed by my partner helped, of course. 
Truth be told, it took until 2/3 of the way into the film, if not more, for me to actually be sure that I’d seen is before (how’s that for retention? 
). If anything, it says something about the impact that the film had on me; while I think it’s an excellent film overall, in no way did it move me or make a permanent mark.
…which also explains why I have so little to say about it.
And yet, I recognize it as quite a solid motion picture, from the Saul Bass-esque opening credits, through its story-within-a-story-within-a-story framework, all the way to its final frame. Honest. All the acting is flawless, as is the editing, the structure, the soundtrack. Everything. It just didn’t grab me, for whatever reason. 
I’d definitely recommend ‘La mala educación’ to anyone who likes drama, foreign films and/or to fans of Pedro Almodóvar who have yet to see it. One could definitely do worse: it’s a fully entertaining film (even if it may not be entirely gripping) and it holds up on pretty much all levels. 
Nota bene: I’d advise caution to anyone who has trouble with heavy boy-on-boy action, as this film could prove objectionable to them. Otherwise, that would be my only caveat. ‘La mala educación’ is well worth seeing.
thecriticaleye 