The Good Student (2006)

Well Deserved Praise

Good concept, poorly executed.

A different way of telling a story

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

In Poughkeepsie, New York Ronald Gibb (Tim Daly) is a history teacher in love with history. He has minor relationship issues. He fantasizes about a student, Ally Palmer (Hayden Panettiere), a hot blonde with a surname that the writer thought clever. His innocent infatuation with her is noticed by another student, Amber (Sarah Steele) who unfortunately for Mr. Gibb has a passion for photography. When Ally is abducted, Ronald Gibb, the last man to see her, becomes the prime suspect.The characters in the film were rather bland and the film had a made-for-TV feel about it. On the plus side we get to see Hayden Panettiere tied up. If she had struggled more, I could have gone 8 stars.Guide: F-bomb. No sex or nudity.

I watched this movie on t.v. and I really liked it, so much as to try to find a website where I could rewatch it for free. I like Hayden Panettiere and thought she acted well in this movie. The movie surprised me twice. Once when Ally seemed friendly to her teacher and not creeped out by him, and again when he held her hostage but didn't do anything, then talked back to Ally's dad. I think it's kind of a weird and unusual movie, and those are exactly the kind of movies that I like. They aren't the same layout as other "cookiecutter" films. I tend to gravitate towards movies that contain certain characters, and Ally and her teacher were two of those types of characters (cool teenage girl) (odd eccentric guy) that I like to see in movies. I think The Good Student is a movie that can answer someone's "what ifs" about what if a teacher held one of their students hostage, but he decided to be nice and not hurt her and let her go?

After watching this teacher teaching high school history, you know why some of our teaching is bad as well as this film.This teacher is as dull as they come. Dressing up like Lincoln at his March, 1861 Inaugural was really the absolute nonsense here.To make matters worse, our miserable teacher is the narrator in this ridiculous movie with a genre of black comedy. It is just ultimately ridiculous.This teacher is leading a dull life as well and all that changes with the kidnapping of one of his students. You would think that this would become an interesting who did it, but the whole film falls apart. The kidnapped girl's father acts erratically. What father of a kidnapped teenager would go on television and reduce the prices of his car as a motivation to get his daughter back?Dad should have been investigated immediately. There is something radically wrong with the writing here. This is a complete joke.

The Good Student is an entertaining who-dun-it. It is well acted and worthwhile entertainment. Pay attention to the police detectives because the pair is portrayed with a little different approach. I guess I do not know what a "Dark Comedy" really is, but I wouldn't categorize it as such. (The term Dark Comedy is almost an oxymoron.) It is necessary for the viewer to get into the action and follow along. If one just remains at the surface, it will be hard to like this movie, so plunge right in. You will find yourself wavering back and forth as you attempt to figure out who is the actual villain. Just get into it and expect to enjoy it and you'll have a nice experience. If you like a few twists and turns along the way, you will like this movie and find it a good way to have spent 90 minutes.