Bad Apples review: A troubled classroom becomes a teacher’s worst nightmare
By William Muthama, September 21, 2026Paramount Pictures has released Bad Apples, a darkly comic thriller starring Saoirse Ronan as a primary-school teacher pushed to her breaking point by a troubled student.
Released on Saturday, September 19, 2026, the film is adapted by Jess O’Kane from Rasmus Lindgren’s novel De Oönskade. It follows Maria (Ronan), an idealistic but exhausted teacher working in an under-supported school in the English West Country.
Maria’s classroom is regularly disrupted by 10-year-old Danny (Eddie Waller), a violent and unpredictable pupil whose behaviour makes it increasingly difficult for her to teach. Despite her efforts to manage the situation, the pressure continues to build.
A teacher reaches her breaking point
The situation takes a darker turn after an incident leaves another pupil injured. Faced with mounting pressure and seemingly limited options, Maria makes a series of desperate decisions that set her on a dangerous path.
With Danny no longer disrupting the classroom, the rest of the pupils begin to flourish. However, Maria soon finds herself dealing with a new set of problems as an Ofsted inspection approaches and questions begin to emerge.
The film uses Maria’s predicament to examine the pressures placed on teachers and the challenges created by an education system that can leave them with limited options when dealing with difficult situations.
Saoirse Ronan delivers
Ronan is the film’s biggest strength. She gives Maria a layered performance, moving convincingly from compassion and exhaustion to fear, panic and increasingly questionable decisions.
Rather than presenting Maria as simply good or bad, Ronan allows the character’s desperation to gradually take over.
Eddie Waller is also impressive in his role as Danny, bringing an unsettling combination of aggression, vulnerability and unpredictability to the character.
Nia Brown is memorable as a teacher’s pet whose eagerness creates additional complications, while Rakie Ayola adds weight to the supporting cast as the school’s headteacher.
Dark humour and moral questions
Bad Apples finds its strongest moments in the uncomfortable combination of dark humour and serious subject matter. Maria’s increasingly complicated attempts to keep her actions hidden create moments that are both funny and disturbing.
The film also raises difficult questions about responsibility. Is Maria entirely responsible for what happens, or has a broken system contributed to her desperation? Bad Apples deliberately avoids providing simple answers.
The film is not without weaknesses. Its third act pushes the story further into implausibility, while some supporting characters could have been developed more fully. At times, the central metaphor also feels slightly overworked.
Still, the film remains engaging throughout. Its roughly 100-minute runtime keeps the story moving without allowing the tension to drag.
Verdict
Bad Apples is an imperfect but memorable thriller that combines dark comedy with a sharp look at classroom pressure and institutional shortcomings.
Ronan’s performance gives the film much of its emotional weight, while Etzler’s direction keeps the story tense and unpredictable. Although some of the later developments require a suspension of disbelief, the film succeeds in leaving viewers with uncomfortable questions about teachers, students and the systems meant to protect them.
Rating: 8/10