Killing Mrs. Tingle

Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999) Helen Mirren, Katie Holmes, Marisa Coughlan, Barry Watson, Vivica A. Fox, Michael McKean, Molly Ringwald, Liz Stauber, Jeffrey Tambor, Lesley Ann Warren, D: Kevin Williamson. When falsely accused of cheating by a coldhearted history teacher, a straight-A student (Holmes) has her future plans and dreams sabotaged. Then while proving her innocence, Holmes and two friends accidentally knock her out, tie her up, and keep her hostage in her own house until she changes her ways. Good idea translates into this ludicrous premise that never accomplishes what it sets out to do, and with that never delivers real plot twists, just one tease after another. Mirren, the movie's most worthwhile feature, outshines the younger set with her hands literally tied behind her back. Disappointing film debut for SCREAM writer Williamson. Running Time: 95 minutes and rated PG-13 for some language, violence, and sexual content. **

I was zapping until I saw Ms. Mirren's elegant face. Damn, this woman's hot! I think I missed about the first half hour but seeing the utter crap that this film is, I certainly haven't missed much. This is just another one of those trashy teen thrillers and the only good thing about it is (obviously) Helen Mirren. I loved the way she transforms from mean to vulnerable to manipulative. The character is not the best written character (then there's a whole lot wrong with the sloppy writing let alone inconsistency, plot holes and lack of characterization) but this woman pulls it off with brilliance. Katie Holmes is one of the most uninteresting actresses and she should just stick to that snoozefest soap 'Dawson's Creek' where she continues 'advising' her co-stars. Oh wait, that's been long cancelled, hasn't it? Barry Watson and Marisa Coughlan are equally pathetic. I'm sure the director and the writer hated their teachers which is why they want to teach the kids of today that it's alright to kidnap your teacher and beat her up, no matter how mean she is in class because that will surely get you an A.

The one actress I'm talking about is Marisa Coughlan, who played Jo Lynn. She is obviously a very talented actress and her whole exorcist scene (which had nothing to do with the movie at all, whatsoever) was awesome. Other than that, the plot was kind of weak, but the characters were very likeable and it kept me interested. It's a cute movie.

History teacher Mrs Tingle seems to have it in for student Leigh Ann Watson, who has her heart on achieving a writing school scholarship. She receives another low grade from Tingle, which doesn't help. When one of her classmates Luke steals the paper of the final history exams and pops it in her bag, Mrs. Tingle finds it sticking out. She threatens the three that she will go to the principal about it, but he's not available. So before she reports it the next morning. Leigh, her friend Jo Lynn and Scott head to her place that night and try to convince her not tell the principal. However due to Tingle's stubbornness, that find themselves reverting to drastic measures to stop this getting out.

Wasn't fan of it when I first saw it, and after another viewing, I'm still not one. Writer Kevin Williamson was on a roll after penning the successful contemporary teen horror films; 'Scream (1996)', 'I Know What You did Last Summer (1997)', 'Scream 2 (1997)' and 'The Faculty (1998)'. He was riding the success (also not to forget the TV show 'Dawson's Creek), but this project would be the final bump. The difference there, compared with this entry was other then writing the screenplay, he was also making his debut in directing. The strange thing though, was that I found his direction to be competently done, but material he stormed up to flavourless and tired. It seemed to get caught in playing both a black comedy and straight-out thriller, without making it gel. The script is cluttered with quick-wit, on-going gags, trivial stretches and gimmicky references towards other films, but the problem is that it's too watered-down with so many contrived developments and sappy moral currents disrupting the flow. The fractured script had to be more strong and potent, since it's a small-scale production that feels like you're watching a stage show because of its mostly confined sets. It tries to play mind games with the characters, but these moments are there to only serve the story's poor progression into a puddle of stupidity and senselessness. The film's ending takes the cake. Williamson's polished direction is sound, but more so in a pedestrian way and therefore it lacks suspense and the pacing even with its taut surroundings can really plod on. You eventually feel it after the halfway mark, and it shows up how minor the story is. The performances are tolerable enough, although if it weren't for Helen Mirren's classy, icy portrayal of manipulative prowess as Mrs. Tingle and a buoyant Marisa Coughlan, we would have been stuck watching a vapid goody-to-shoes Katie Holmes. Barry Watson is modest in his slacker part and Molly Ringwald has a lesser role. The soundtrack packs enough energy, but I found it terribly overwrought and shapeless in its choices.

Watchable, but mechanical all round.

Teaching Mrs. Tingle could've been a well executed black comedy but instead it falls flat on its face. The first half is well executed but as the film moves on it becomes an utter mess of a movie. Kevin Williamson had about 2 and a half good ideas in his body(Scream,Scream 2, and The Faculty). His other films are just plain generic and it's hard to believe that something like this was written by the guy who wrote scream.

The premise is a nice set-up for a potential good comedy. Mrs.Tingle is the most hated teacher at school because she's, for a lack of a better word, a b#$ch. Katie Holmes plays a student who is trying desperately be valedectorian so she can get out of the town and history-a class taught by tingle, is the only thing standing in her way. When Tingle discovers a copy of the final exam in her back-pack she intends on telling the principal. when herself and her friends go to her house to try and reason with her, lets just say that get more than they bargained for.

What I liked:

Marissa Coughlan is a good actress and her performnce is actually one of the saving graces of this film. She posseses a lot of spunk and energy. Her Exorcist scene, while unnecessary, is quite entertaining.

Helen Mirren is suitably devilish as Mrs. Tingle. She brings experience to an other-wise mediocre movie.

The first half of the film is actually pretty good. The class-room scene in the first half is really good. Too bad the rest of the film isn't all that great.

What I Didn't Like:

Katie Holmes was cute in this film and she gives a cute performance but i'm tired of seeing her talent given to drivel like this. Thank God she followed this up with Wonder Boys and The Gift.

Barry watson is plain boring in his role and i found him to be completely uninteresting in his role

The ending is jsut plain dumb. It ends on such a disappointing note. I wanted a better outcome and i got this garbage.

The cheesy love scene between holmes and watson was so unnecessary. They lacked chemistry to evne make the scene sizzle.

Good idea wasted in tepid film i expected better from williamson in his directorial debut but instead i get this. what a shame.

5.5/10