Bad Apples (15)

Saoirse Ronan excels as a burnt-out primary school teacher in this unhinged black comedy.

The scene is a primary school in the English West Country where Maria (Ronan) is a hardworking, idealistic teacher – but her class is hopelessly disrupted by a violent boy, Danny (Eddie Waller), obnoxious and out of control. He seriously injures another pupil, teacher’s-pet Pauline (Nia Brown) whom Maria privately considers a bit annoying. After a chaotic visit to Danny’s home, Maria winds up causing the boy to lose consciousness with an accidental chokehold, and in a panic smuggles him back to her house where she imprisons him in her basement. And then, slowly but surely, the rest of the class, freed from Danny’s hateful presence, blossom and Maria gets a glowing Ofsted report. She looks and feels on top of the world. But what is to be done about her shameful secret?

The film toys with horror tropes in unpredictable ways, conveying mounting distrust with menacing flair while also blending drama, comedy and existential crises marvellously. Bad Apples dangles moral quandaries about guilt and the greater good with cutting satire and haunting visuals.