There are movies that are tame — and then there are movies like Bad Apples, a film so off-the-wall and wild that it doesn’t ask us to put on seatbelts before hitting the gas. With a premise that involves a primary school teacher, Maria (the always exceptional Saoirse Ronan), locking her most troublesome student, Danny (Eddie Waller), in her basement, the film, directed by Jonatan Etzler from a screenplay by Jess O’Kane, is one of the best dark comedies I’ve seen in a while. It’s also one that is surprisingly thrilling in its execution.

Maria is stressed at school. On a class trip to a cider-making facility, Danny throws a shoe in the conveyor belt full of apples. It’s this scene that opens one of the most delightfully unhinged films of the year. We immediately relate to Maria’s frustration and tiredness; she’s in a situation where she’s meant to look after the kids, but a disruptive student makes that difficult at every turn. Danny throws things, slams desks, yells, and curses at teachers and students alike.

Maria asks for help, but she doesn’t get it. It’s a commentary on schools that have too many students to serve and not enough resources to do it. Danny’s dad (Robert Emms) works a lot and often arrives late to pick him up, and doesn’t answer Maria’s calls. When Maria asks Pauline (Nia Brown), a teacher’s pet obsessed with getting Maria’s attention, to help Danny, he pushes her down the stairs instead. Maria locks him up in her basement after he threatens to tell everyone she hit him — a misunderstanding, Maria says, but one that sets her down a panicked path of bad decisions.

Bad Apples Is A Precise Dramedy Thriller That Will Push ʙuттons

Despite Maria’s actions, she remains a sympathetic character throughout. Teachers can especially understand what it’s like to deal with students who, no matter what you try to do, may not listen and whose anger issues are disruptive. As the film reminds us later, there’s a reason for Danny’s behavior, and it makes a good effort to showcase why Maria and Danny both act as they do. It’s a story that will push people’s ʙuттons — in a good way, as it’s a film ready to be discussed and analyzed.

It’s also a deeply funny film. Etzler strikes the right tonal balance to pull this off. I wasn’t expecting to laugh as much as I did, but I also wanted to cover my face in sheer horror at Maria’s sticky situation. It evokes a reaction, regardless of what it is, which makes it all the more effective. A third-act moment brings things to a head but elevates the situation without losing its tonal balance. Desperation leads Maria to do things she likely never imagined she’d do.

She’s just a regular teacher at the start who’s trying her hardest, and we invest in her story even if her actions become indefensible. Saiorse Ronan melts into the role of a tired, overworked teacher. She’s worried she’s not good enough and will be fired. The principal (Raykie Ayola) certainly doesn’t have much faith in her.

But something in her shifts after locking up Danny, and that shift is noticeable in the way Ronan holds herself up as Maria. Her face changes; she’s less haggard-looking, and her eyes are brighter. It’s a subtle change, but one that underscores her character’s journey. Crucially, Ronan, who is usually in dramatic roles, gets to stretch her comedic skills to great effect.

While Maria has layers, Danny is a bit one-note as a character. He’s primarily angry, and there’s a viciousness in his eyes and smile that is hard to shake at times. When we learn more about his troubles, there’s a vulnerability there that comes through, but it’s tempered by his situation. He can’t fully trust Maria, no matter how hard she tries to help him. She’s still his captor, regardless of how troublesome he’s been in the past. Eddie Waller imbues his character with so much rage, but there isn’t that much else.

Of course, the narrative wants us to be annoyed of Danny, but we start to feel horrible for him as well, especially as the narrative ponders his fate. I only wish he had gotten a bit more focus. Where things get a bit more nuanced is with Nia Brown’s Pauline. The actress is excellent in the role and has an expressive face that says everything before she commits it to action. Her scenes with Ronan are some of the best of the film, with Brown being an unexpected scene-stealer in the latter half of the film.

Bad Apples is daring, creatively handling Maria’s situation as it reaches unexpected heights. The film is genuinely funny, and the cast is up to the task as the story balances impending consequences for Maria’s actions and gasp-inducing comedic satire. Does one bad apple spoil the whole barrel? Bad Apples certainly thinks so.

Bad Apples premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.