This movie is more predictable than a bad B-movie and therefore also quite a bad and boring one.

It's amazing really; all of the right ingredients for a good movie were here. A good and interesting sounding concept, a decent cast and the fact that it's based on a true story. Nothing about this movie would indicate to you that it's a bad one, until you start watching it.

Pretty much from the first minute on already it started to annoy me. There are very little things more annoying than watching a bunch of guys act like tough guys, while they obviously aren't. Something so incredibly fake and annoying about it. I don't know, perhaps I have seen a few too many movies like this already. It basically makes it hard to ever care for any of the characters, when they are constantly acting like a bunch of tough-talking buffoons. And it's not like any of the main characters are doing 'good' things. They really are all a bunch of criminals, no matter how you look at it and some of them also do some absolutely despicable things.

But really, that's hardly the only problem of this movie. The weird thing about the movie is that about halfway through, things start to shift and it starts to become about something completely different, once it decides to change its main focus. Suddenly the Liam Hemsworth character isn't the main one anymore and all of the sudden it decides to focus on the good cop that's after him, played by Dwayne Johnson. It's a weird shift really. What was it trying to do and achieve with it? Who were we supposed to root for, toward the end? It doesn't help much that the Dwayne Johnson character isn't a very well developed one. He just shows up but we don't know anything about him at all, purely because the movie doesn't give you any background information on him, or tells you his character's motivation.

There also isn't any real excitement in this movie, which is disappointing for a movie that loves to present itself as an action heist movie. It's not as if this movie is ever trying to be a serious or dramatically deep one. It clearly was going for a more fast and entertaining type of approach but there just isn't ever enough action or fun. The movie actually gets quite boring to watch after a while, which also is really due to the fact of this movie being an incredibly formulaic and predictable one. Seriously, nothing happens as a surprise in this movie and you can see all of its 'twists' and events coming from miles away already, which is all really due to the movie its own storytelling.

Now, really this isn't the worst movie you could ever watch but at the same time, why should you watch it in the first place? There is absolutely no reason for it in my opinion! There obviously are countless, far better, genre movies out there, you can have a whole lot of more fun with as well.

5/10

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A drama centered on two childhood friends who plan to rob an armored car depository, and the NYPD officer who stands in their way. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Dito Montiel

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Liam Hemsworth, Emma Roberts and others

Current release date: 2013

This movie is not only titled "The English Teacher", it also indeed feels like a very British movie, despite the fact that it's actually an American movie, with also mostly an American cast and crew.

And saying that this movie has a very British vibe to it is of course a very positive thing to note, for a movie of this sort. The sort of comedy about life, that isn't ever heavily exaggerating anything but picks a more subtle and non-forced approach to its comedy and storytelling. Having said that, this still remains far from the best genre example though and I still had plenty of problems with it.

The one and foremost disappointing aspect about this movie is that it lacks bite. It's disappointing to see how formulaic and predictable this movie is being with all of its plot lines and characters. Really, absolutely nothing comes as a surprise in this movie and rather than to explore some controversial or not much talked about subjects, the movie picks a safe approach- and eventual also resolutions, to just about everything. This is not a movie that shall raise any discussion, or is going to leave a profound impression on you, with any of its subjects and plot lines. It hardly ever amounts to anything! Perhaps it was too afraid to offend anyone and therefore never becomes a daring movie to watch, in any way or form and instead remains a movie by the numbers.

But well, saying that this is movie by the numbers still doesn't make this a bad one though. After all, it may play by the numbers but it does it well. The movie at all times remains a perfectly watchable one, with a fine pace and some good performances by its cast. It actually has a pretty impressive cast-list, with actors such as Julianne Moore, Nathan Lane, Greg Kinnear and Lily Collins involved. Hard to say who they all said yes to this movie, after all it's hardly anything special, with a far from original, demanding or provoking script but their presence definitely gives the movie something extra, so I'm not complaining.

It's definitely not a great movie but certainly still watchable and entertaining enough, mostly due to its pace and fine actors involved, who are always great to watch on screen.

6/10

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An English teacher's life is disrupted when a former student returns to her small town after failing as a playwright in New York. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Craig Zisk

Starring: Lily Collins, Julianne Moore, Greg Kinnear and others

Current release date: May 17, 2013

When a couple discovers that a brass teapot makes them money whenever they hurt themselves, they must come to terms with how far they are willing to go. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Ramaa Mosley

Starring: John Hawkes, Molly Parker, Cody Linley and others

Current release date: April 5, 2013