Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)

I have now watched this movie at least 30 times on the movie channels and decided that I like this movie more each time. Carefully watching these young actors portraying their characters, they have achieved their talents in making one believe they are not acting. It gets funnier each time and with each time, I realize what a cruel person Tingle might actually be. Just because Mirren is a superb actress doesn't make her a likable one in this film. She is however, a perfect teacher on how to be a spiteful, hateful, mean-spirited,jealous and power abusing menace to society if you need a teacher. It is that kind of callous hearted abuse and lack of self discipline in separating personal feelings and power that makes someone like her so dangerous and drives many otherwise decent human beings into desperate measures. Which is one of the keys to this films plot. It is, as Leigh Ann accuses, the teachers and role models to blame if the youth of today do not achieve skills to being better human beings and with Tingle as an example, what tools would a youngster faced with such a situation have learned to resolve any better? Tingles morally criminal behavior leads to actual criminal behavior of these minors trying to convince her to do the right thing from the start. Her position to do whatever she wants, right or wrong is what causes these teens to resort to desperate measures to protect themselves against such abuse which is not unlike many other positions adults force upon children. Playing by ear, with each plea for Tingle to cooperate and her refusal, these teens must plot to save whatever they can. It was Tingle who had malice from beginning to end, the kids just played the game changing the rules from plan A to B when all failed. If not for Jo Lynn and her adaptive humor, this film could have had controversial overtones. Jo Lynn was the tie that binds these characters together and her lighthearted, carefree humor was refreshing to the plot. She illuminated the meaning of a forgiving and loyal friend. Oddly, this was one of those feel good films for me.