Bad Education
2004 · 1h 45m · Drama, Crime
Watch it tonight if you're in the mood for thoughtful, character-driven drama that tackles heavy themes with nuance and artistry. The strong critical consensus (88% RT, 7.4 IMDb) backs up what's clearly a sincere, well-crafted exploration of identity, trauma, and reconnection—just go in knowing it's emotionally demanding, not escapist fun.
Plot
When an old friend brings filmmaker Enrique Goded a semi-autobiographical script chronicling their adolescence, Enrique is forced to relive his youth spent at a Catholic boarding school. Weaving through past and present, the script follows a transvestite performer who reconnects with a grade school sweetheart. Spurred on by this chance encounter, the character reflects on her childhood sexual victimization and the trauma of closeting her sexual orientation.
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Cast: Gael García Bernal, Fele Martínez, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lluís Homar, Francisco Maestre