The Bad Kids
FilmRise | Release Date: December 16, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
75
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0
Watch Now
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayDec 14, 2016
Directors Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe (best-known for their Terry Gilliam behind-the-scenes docs Lost In La Mancha and The Hamster Factor) have made The Bad Kids in the “fly on the wall” mold of Frederick Wiseman, crossed with the “year-in-the-life” storytelling of Hoop Dreams. The structure of Black Rock itself is one of their biggest narrative assets. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesKimber MyersDec 15, 2016
This isn’t just a necessary or powerful story; it’s a well-told one. Read full review
88
Slant MagazineDiego SemereneDec 20, 2016
Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe's documentary raises important questions about the limits of pedagogy. Read full review
80
Village VoiceDaphne HowlandDec 21, 2016
Desert flowers can be hard to spot, but are often distinctly beautiful, and The Bad Kids has them in focus. Read full review
75
Movie NationRoger MooreDec 29, 2016
It’s bracing and inspiring, what filmmakers Keith Fulton and Leo Pepe show us in that first hour. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterJustin LoweDec 15, 2016
Directors Keith Fulton and Lou Pepe dive right into the school’s maelstrom of tragedy, dysfunction and boundless optimism, delivering an insightful, affecting film that casts sympathetic light on a neglected educational sector in a manner that acknowledges the dedication of countless career educators and may even help inspire a new generation of teachers and social workers. Read full review
70
VarietyNick SchagerDec 15, 2016
Taking the macro view, [Fulton and Pepe] seem to miss out on the types of thorny micro details — about McGee’s relationship with his mother, or about Viland’s own history preceding her tenure at Black Rock — that would have provided additional complexity. Read full review
67
The PlaylistKevin JagernauthDec 15, 2016
The Bad Kids falters due to a lack of focus. Read full review
63
RogerEbert.comGodfrey CheshireDec 16, 2016
The Bad Kids is interesting enough in what it shows us to spark interest in what it leaves un-shown. In its case, the information supplied by a few well-chosen talking heads could have given it additional clarity and appeal. Read full review
More From This Movie

75 Critic Reviews

tbd User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 71 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL