How far would you go to bend the rules to suit your own purposes? This premise forms the framework of Director Jason Bateman’s subversive comedy Bad Words.
The film also stars Bateman as Guy Trilby, a 40-year-old spelling bee loser who discovers a loophole in the rules of the Golden Quill national spelling bee and outrages contest officials, parents, and ambitious 8th graders by hijacking the competition and attempting to win as an adult.
Bateman spoke about the making of the film in a conversation with Director Ron Howard (Rush) after the DGA screening in New York on March 12. Bateman also participated in a Q&A with Director Jason Reitman (Labor Day) following the Los Angeles DGA screening of Bad Words on March 25.
Bad Words is Bateman’s feature length debut as a director. His other works include episodes of the television series Do Not Disturb, Arrested Development, For Your Love, Two of a Kind, Family Matters, and Valerie. He has been a member of the DGA since 1988.