Customer Reviews

Teaching Mrs. Tingle

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I admit that I purchased this movie for the plain and simple fact that Dame Helen Mirren appears in it. I can also say with all honesty that I have never watched a single episode of Dawson's Creek or 7th Heaven. I am a huge fan of Mirren's versatile acting abilities. She is amazing in this film, but I won't gush on about her...

However, I was pleasantly pleased and surprised with this film and all of it's actors. It is a well written script by Scream's Kevin Williamson who also shows his ability to direct in his debut.

I also enjoyed several cameo appearances by faces that I haven't seen in a while. The principal is played by Michael McKean. You knew him as Lenny Koznowski, the nasal, nerdish pal of Andrew "Squiggy" Squigman on the hit TV series Laverne and Shirley. Molly Ringwald is Miss Banks, the administrative assistant in the school's office, Vivica A. Fox plays guidance counsellor, Miss Gold and Jeffrey Tambor as Coach "Spanky" Wenchell.

The movie moves at a quick pace and has many twists, turns and thrills! Highly recommended for a family fun movie night!

Happy Watching!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first saw this movie awhile ago. Would it be a crazy teen romp complete with insane pranks on teachers and classmates alike? Or would it be a dramatic piece with lessons and morals to spare? The answer? A little bit of both.

While I won't say I loved this movie, I did love Katie Holmes'character transformation here. From serious, studious bookworm to adventurous and optimistic. Cool job with the acting and writing there. Others may praise Helen Mirren's portrayal of Mrs. Tingle as being the highlight but for me it was Katie who stole the show.

My only real problem with this movie is the ending. Too many issues are glossed over for a happy, neatly packaged conclusion. The kids may have hated Mrs. Tingle for she was no doubt a bitter old lady, but the kids did indeed have a stolen test paper. What was Mrs. Tingle to do? Ignore that completely? And the issue is basically forgotten by the end of the film as the three students walk away scot free. Let's not forget that they kidnapped Mrs. Tingle and shot her with an arrow before she ever took a shot at them. The movie seems to abandon all of this. This movie would've been much better with a more realistic ending.

This was one of the best movies I have seen recently. Kevin Williamson clearly shows off all his talent with a very witty script and shows that he can also direct. The movie follows Leigh Ann Watson (Holmes) as she struggles to get a much needed scholarship to get into college. All she needs is an A in History. When the history teacher Mrs. Tingle (Mirren) falsely accuses her of cheating, her two friends Jo Lynn (Coughlan) and Luke (Watson), go to Mrs. Tingle's house to prove Leigh Ann innocent. When their plan goes way out of control, they decide that it is time to give her lesson! This movie shines with talent from Helen Mirren who is perfect for the role as the teacher from hell. The teen cast was impressive as well. Katie Holmes plays the role of Leigh Ann with such sympathy, you really get pulled into the situation. And the new actress Marisa Coughlan pulls off an amazing performance, certainty one of the best highlights of this film was seeing her comedic scenes, especially when she imitates perfectly Linda Blairs performance in The Exorcist. Barry Watson also did an impressive job in the role as Luke, the boy Jo Lynn and Leigh Ann both secretly have crushes on. Molly Ringwald and Vivica A. Fox both have cameos as members of Grandsboro High Schools staff. Overall, this movie is wonderful in all genres. It is a wonderful comedy, drama, and thriller all rolled into one great movie. If you didn't catch this one in theaters, you should definitely rent it. You won't regret it! Grade: A

People think that movies are suppose to be grand, 100 million dollars worth of [effects] thrown together to make our mouth drop with delight. This movie was so great! Helen Mirren is sensational, she show that even that the most horrible times, she can still manipulate even the most smartest people. Katie Holmes is great and her being close from my home town she is a great actress with awesome abilities as a person. Jo Lynn (Coughlan) was phenomenal she made me laugh so hard when she did the exorcist scene, well done! Barry Watson (Tambor) was great as well! But look deep in yourselves haven't we all had a teacher that we would just like to tell her what we think of her!! I know i have! Well this movie brilliantly written by Kevin Williamson helps us do that. It is not too violent and seeing that it was close to Columbine it was well titled. Teaching Mrs. Tingle sounds alot better because they do teach her a lesson and they dont kill her. Nobody dies and nobody really gets seriously hurt. Helen Mirren, Katie Holmes, Marisa Coughlan, and Barry Watson gave excellent preformances, way to go you shining stars you get an A+ in my book, and guess what? I am very close to being a History Teacher so beware. (laughs) "Ms. Watson, dazzle us will you" Helen Mirren (Teaching Mrs. Tingle)
Very good guys!

In the wake of Columbine, this film, originally titled "Killing Mrs. Tingle", was changed to "Teaching Mrs. Tingle". I think it sounds more appropriate. To tell you the truth, this movie isn't as bad as has been written about it. Writer Kevin Williamson is on board as director as well on this film. Three students decide to take action against a nasty teacher(brilliantly played By Helen Mirren)who thinks they were cheating on a test(which they weren't)and now stands in their way of graduating. They go to her house and a series of incidents occur which now has the three students keeping Mrs. Tingle locked up in her house, with each one of them taking turns watching her. One by one, Mrs. Tingle begins to mess with their minds. Helen Mirren is exceptionally convincing and brilliant as the nasty teacher. She will have you hooked on her through the entire film. The other stars, Katie(Dawson's Creek)Holmes, Barry(7th Heaven)Watson, and newcomer Marissa Coughlan are all pretty good. Coughlan is especially delightful. Many bad things were said about this film because of Columbine and the violence in the movie, but there is no deaths. No nothing. I think a lot of people ripped into it because of what the original title was and because of Columbine. It's obvious that they never even saw the film or read the script. It's PG-13 after all. This isn't grand filmmaking, but it's entertaining to a certain degree nonetheless. Williamson has a nice eye for directing as well. The film was loosely based on Williamson's own bad teacher. And, I think, we've all had a Mrs. Tingle. Kind of a guilty pleasure.

This isn't a dreadful film, merely insipid. The plot is deeply flawed and implausible. It tries to be a number of genres and fails at each. It fails as a comedy, as a suspense thriller and as a horror movie. It almost succeeds as science fiction. The direction is uninspired and Katie Holmes, cute cherub face that she is, should be modeling teen clothing, not acting. The only thing that keeps this movie from being a 1 out of 10 is Helen Mirren. Her performance is fabulously nefarious and is (almost) worth suffering through the rest of it. Her ability to transmute from imperious to faux sympathetic to deviously manipulate and control her prey shows masterful range. Other than Marissa Coughlin's delightful Exorcist rendition, Mirren is the only reason to see this movie. A solid 3/10.

Unfortunately, this brilliant movie was all but overlooked at the box office. Perhaps this is from pressure from teachers and parents who believed it promoted violence against teachers w/o ever seeing it. I believe it is this compounded with the fact that a teen film is rated R, thus no one under 17 can go w/o parents and who wants to go with parents? Then the parents don't go b/c they think it will be a teen movie. It's a vicious cycle and it lead to this outrageous, brilliant, endlessly inventive, creative, and original film not getting the money it deserved. The truth is this is an amazing satire/horror film about those horrible teachers who constantly pollute high schools--cruel, evil monsters who feel determined upon making students' lives miserable, praying that they will fail in life. This situation happens all of the time. However in this film one teacher goes too far, and....See the movie to find out. In it are brilliant performances by Katie Holmes and Helen Mirren. You will not be disappointed and you will never guess how it will ever wrap up well.

Well, it seems the all mighty Kevin has stumbled. I loved the Scream films, and The Faculty, but this time something's gone wrong. It's not Helen Mirren's fault, because she holds this film up on her own - it's just that what should be a dark and twisted story about pupils' hate for their teachers is in fact a rather dull farce. The characters are unbelievably one dimensional, especially for such a gifted writer as Williamson. The kids are holding their techer hostage, yet minutes later they're having sex in her house - forgetting that they're most likely going to go to jail. I really wanted to like this film, but having got used to the best from Kevin, this just won't do. There's only a trailer on the disc, probably because the people involved were a little embarassed at being in it and so don't want to be reminded of that fact, but the sound is good - at times it seems like it really is raining outside your own house during a pivotal scene between Mirren and Holmes. It's not an awful film by a long shot, but it could have been so much better.

I thought this movie was the best! I mean it had a way cool cast (unfortunatly not to many guys though :o). But still, I thought this movie was both funny and suspenceful. It was sorta like a twist of a horror and comedy flick rolled into one. And the best part is, its meant for teens. I mean, Most adults won't ever understand this movie. But us, teens can defianatly relate. I mean that teacher in bio, just HAS to be a psyco! :o) I'de definetly give this movie more than five stars! If your tired of those likke deep movies which don't even put a bit of fun in the movie you gotta see this! I know this reveiw wasn't very informing about what the movie was about, but that's why you should see them movie! -love lots- :o)

At a small town high school one girl has a chance at a scholarship if she can be valedictorian. If she does, she will be able to escape the town. The only thing that stands in her way is an evil history teacher. But when she is almost framed for cheating the history teacher becomes and even bigger obstacle as she seems to thrill in the idea of destroying on of the school's best students.

When an appeal to Mrs. Tingle fails an accident lands them in deeper trouble that results in them holding the teacher in captivity. But even tied down her evil can spread as she tries to split apart the friends and gain her freedom. But everything the students do seems to make matters even more hopeless. But a few lucky breaks might give them a chance against Mrs. Tingle.

A little bit of humor and situations that keep the characters getting deeper and deeper into trouble is only half of what drives this movie. the other half is Helen Mirren and her portrayal of the evil teacher. Although I would have liked to have seen more of her evil, it still worked out well. Not even close to horror, only vaguely comedy, this is a roller coaster teen drama that doesn't stop until the final credits.