User reviews

I didn't expect much as this movie was so low on the radar, but man, Dylan really stole the show on this one. He did a great job depicting the ins and outs of a psychopath focused on only one thing. The story has been done, as people have said, but I'd have to say that this is one of the best films that involves students attempting to blackmail a teacher.

I did find it particularly compelling that they portrayed Iago in Lucas, and went so deeply into the metaphorical tendencies that the characters both shared, which makes sense when Lucas attempts to paint Iago in a heroic light rather than the villain he was.

It was a well written script for the most part, with only a couple of downfalls. Predictable, in a sense, but the acting, cinematography and pacing helped fill the gaps.

Kent and Dylan enforce a strong casting in this movie, and the other actors did their jobs well, also. Highly recommend to watch at least once.

Just watched The Snowman and Hangman multi million pound thrillers and this beats both of them hands down.

Great acting especially from the two main relatively unknown actors, smart story filmed well and although its not massively original "Apt Pupil" being brought to mind it does what it does well and is well worth a watch if you are looking for a decent thriller.

This is the type of film that proves you don't need a massive budget to make a good film.

Dylan Sprouse shows some acting chops as the uptight super on the ball student who bonds with his English teacher, joins chess club and is way too intense. When he gets a B plus things start to get nasty.

This thriller is different from the usual glossy Lifetime thriller in its slightly awkward camera work and direction. But the acting and story are quite good and things get quite intense so stay tuned.

Worth a watch.

As an avid lover of crime and thriller stories, I was thrilled and intrigued by the storyline when I first watched the trailer. When I watched the actual movie, the movie plot portrayed an interesting build up and really got me wondering what the antagonist is capable of doing. Unfortunately, towards the end of the movie, the quality of the storyline plummeted and the movie ending in abrupt and perfunctory manner. I personally feel that its a pity such a good story plot ended in such a mediocre ending but having said that, I would still give the producer and the actors credit as they have indeed done a great job. For those watching it, you would be in for a thrilling treat.

Great idea, poorly executed. To think that no one believes a word the teacher says is, in is self ridiculous and only gets worse. This film is so rushed, it needed time to build, but instead they rush to the end without any real character building. The poor acting I can forgive, however the director should have asked for a better budget to extend and nurture the background.

Out of all the suspenseful TV movies out there, this is probably one of the better ones I've seen. The camera work is a little shaky at times, but the acting is good and the plot is intriguing enough. Give it a shot.

I find it infuriating when a character makes weak and unrealistic decisions in order for there to be a plot. This to me is a sign of bad writing. Also the casting of the teacher - I feel - was bad. As excited as I was to see Dylan Sprouse in a new film, I was disappointed that the other lead character in this film (the teacher) seemed to drag it down. The acting is great from Dylan and I hope to see him in more movies soon. Hopefully ones that give him more opportunity to show his talents. I just can't get past the weakness of the teacher and dumbness of some of the supporting characters. It was a tad cheesy, but not one of the worst films I've seen at all.

I was pleasantly surprised after seeing "Dismissed". During the first 10 or 15 minutes it seemed it would be a little hokey. The film as I stated in my title was a bit predictable and the formula has been used before to one degree or another. However, the pace kept you interested and I felt the acting from the protagonist and antagonist were very good.

Plot is simply about a brilliant but somewhat off student who is transferred to a new school and instantly makes a great impression on his English teacher. Not to divulge any spoilers, I won't give more in depth story line then that but will say there was some smart and relevant story telling here.

The sub plots of the film fit quite nicely into a neat package to Support the main story and there are some harrowing scenes that might surprise you. It was not over the top not is there gratuitous violence. The story was told with realism and was spooky at times.

For a low budget film with essentially unknown actors, I thought it was a film. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a light thriller told well.

88 minutes you won't be disappointed spending.

This movies description was very vague, so I was hesitant to watch it as it seemed like it would be another cliché movie. To a certain extent, it was, it was predictable at some moments. Ultimately, the acting, especially by Dylan Sprouse, was fantastic. He played a believable deranged character, something very different from what he had done in the past and has now made a great return to acting. The movie was overall quite entertaining and highly interesting as a thriller. I encourage people to check it out.

What a rewarding little hidden gem "Dismissed" turned out to be. Looking for passable entertainment to bide the better part of two hours, I wound up getting a credible creeper with above average acting. And from really quite unlikely sources.

Kent Osborne is a veteran creative contributor to such super successful animated franchises as "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "Adventure Time". He is excellent here as a mild-mannered high school teacher who is terrorized by a disgruntled student. The unhinged pupil is played by Dylan Sprouse, co-star along with twin brother Cole of the long-running Disney Channel series "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody". Sprouse is convincingly chilling as a cuckoo crazy kid who stops at nothing to haunt the hallowed halls of Harvard.

This one probably shouldn't have been as good as it was. Just goes to show to ya, don't always judge a book by it's cover, nor a flick by it's cast.

A completely average psychological thriller in every way. Dylan Sprouse is cute, but not enough to carry the whole movie.

Where was the research? California teachers have great insurance (and family members are all covered), teachers aren't ever just "let go" (there's a very strong teacher's union and something called "due process"), and speaking of: where was the union rep? Come on...half of the women in CA are teachers or public school administrators, and a quarter of the men are. It wouldn't take a deep dive in a research library to find this information out. So lazy.

Even if you can suspend judgment for an hour and a half, don't. This film just isn't good.

This straight to video film has the feel of an artsy, indie film moreso than a TV movie or a major big budget release. I credit the tension of the protagonist and antagonist taking place pretty much in a vacuum and the reoccurring underscore music as creating this smaller film vibe. It mirrors the quiet film Joshua moreso than the jump scared filled, loud Esther. .. I mean Orphan. I actually would say this is 7 out of 10 but gave it a lower score in commemoration of the film's main plot. The villain creates a memorable charter who perfectly combines the ying and yang of masculine yet feminine, disarming yet frosty. At 1 point he sports the Dicaprio hairstyle circa Titanic. Just like we discovered that a little girl can be deadly, the main character here shows that a slim waisted, teen lad is not to be triffled with either. Very clean cut like the leader in the movie The Purge or the rich son in American Horror Story Freak Show. Those types make for great villians. Ask opponents of late Hall of Fame Pro Wrestler Roddy Piper. This movie was a wonderful guilty pleasure.

I think classing this in the horror genre is pushing it a bit, it's more in the teen psycho thriller genre, but despite that it's rather a decent watch. I wasn't expecting a great deal to be honest, but rather enjoyed it. I liked the idea behind it, I liked the character of Lucas, and how manipulative he was, and I liked the performances, in particular that of Dylan Sprouse.

If I'm being totally honest, I would have to say I found it a little silly at times, the interaction with Chris, the moment in the science lab, they were some of the more far fetched moments, but in return there were also some very sinister moments, definitely plenty to keep the viewer's attention.

Just goes to show, you can make a decent film, without a massive budget. 6/10

The acting was very basic. The movie felt rushed. This movie was definitely made for teenagers. Without giving any spoilers, they were unrealistic events that happen towards the end of the movie that had me screaming WTF multiple times.

Dylan Sprouse hits this out of the ball park. He plays the psycho in such a way that I actually felt sorry for him. Best film I have seen this week.

If there is any movie that can be let down by mediocre acting or directing, then this is the one. Aside from Dylan Sprouse who gives an impressive rendition to his character of a social psychopath, the rest of the acting is a big let down. The placid acting of the teacher played by Randall Park is no match for Dylan Sprouse who plays the student with much more credibility of a ruthless sociopath. Many parts of the movie lack the necessary and essential direction that could have made this movie great. For example, the teacher not attempting to protect the family when in danger of such a predator. The movie is only lifted by Dylan Sprouse's screen presence and I can see him to be appearing in bigger movies yet to come.

Why as many good reviews ? I thought this was a badly done cliché...the acting apart from Lucas the psychopath was made-for-tv but worse in fact. The story briefly believable at first, then unconvincing and then ridiculous. Perfect downward spiral and the ending eh? Some lives lost. Others ruined. Very uplifting. I mean if the teacher turned out to be a real deviant, that might have been the twist this needed to make it worth the time spent. Someone entitled their review "I want my 87 minutes back". That says it all.

It's Fear & Swimfan between a teacher & student, but with none of the intensity. Dylan Sprouse is as convincing as a wet dishrag and everyone else is C-team at best.

5 minutes of suspense at the end not enough to rescue this film

This could've been very good. Had a lot of potential. I'm very easy to satisfy when it comes to movies but this movie fell short. I agree with the comments that say it lacked depth. Characters doing things that lack common sense. I would've asked for this kid to be transferred to another class. Easy peasy.