The film revolves around Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz), an opportunistic and self-centered teacher who has no interest in educating her students. She’s primarily focused on finding a wealthy man to marry so she can avoid working and live a life of luxury.
The climax of the film occurs as Elizabeth’s plan to marry her wealthy and recently single colleague, Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake), is threatened by the arrival of a new teacher, Amy Squirrel (Lucy Punch). Amy is overly enthusiastic, and her engagement to a wealthy man makes her Elizabeth’s competition for Scott’s affections.
To win Scott’s heart and secure her financial future, Elizabeth decides to raise money to get breast implants. She engages in various schemes, including embezzling funds from a carwash fundraiser and exploiting her students’ academic weaknesses to cheat on standardized tests.
The movie features a series of comedic situations and inappropriate behavior from Elizabeth, including her rivalry with Amy and her attempts to win over Scott. However, she gradually begins to develop genuine connections with her students, particularly one boy named Garrett (Matthew J. Evans).
The film climaxes with a series of humorous and outrageous events, including a confrontation between Elizabeth and Amy during a school fundraising event. Ultimately, Elizabeth’s true character is revealed, and she finds an unexpected source of happiness and personal growth.
“Bad Teacher” received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Cameron Diaz’s performance and the film’s raunchy humor but criticism for its lack of a strong narrative. Despite the mixed reviews, the film performed well at the box office, and Cameron Diaz’s portrayal of the unapologetically bad teacher became a memorable aspect of the comedy genre.