Posted 9/18/2026
Directed by Jonatan Etzler, Bad Apples is a dark comedic thriller that explores the breaking point of modern education and community apathy. The story follows Maria, a dedicated primary school teacher pushed to the absolute edge by her classroom environment. She is portrayed by Saoirse Ronan, who delivers a sharp, gripping performance.
Maria's daily life is upended by Danny, an intensely disruptive, foul-mouthed, and violent student portrayed by Eddie Waller. Left with zero institutional support from an indifferent school administration and overwhelmed by his relentless behavior, Maria makes a rash, desperate decision: she accidentally, deliberately, traps and holds the boy captive in her home. However, an absurd and chilling twist unfolds when her remaining students begin to thrive and flourish in Danny's sudden absence.
As Maria tries to cover up her bizarre crime, she navigates an increasingly surreal predicament complicated by other students, such as the watchful pupil Pauline (played by Nia Browne), and a community more invested in maintaining a facade of comfort than confronting reality.
Adapted from Rasmus Lindgren's novel De Oönskade and written by Jess O'Kane, the film blends caustic Nordic-style humor with high-stakes tension. It forces audiences to question how far a normal person can be pushed by a broken system and what compromises a community will make to preserve its own safety and harmony. Alongside Ronan, Waller, and Browne, the ensemble cast features supporting turns from actors including Jacob Anderson, Rakie Ayola, and Robert Emms.
Movie descriptions were generated by Google Gemini.
