Bad Man Movie Review – Seann William Scott Plays a Jerk in a Buddy Cop Comedy

Bad Man feels like a B-movie comedy pulled straight from the 2000s. Good thing then that it has Seann William Scott in a leading role, playing off that loud and crude humor that made him a sensation as Steve Stifler in the American Pie franchise. Is it in the running for the best comedy of the year? No. But does it remind you of a time in which you would get five straight-to-video movies for the price of a sandwich from your local Blockbuster? Absolutely.

A murder rocks the small town of Colt Lake, Tennessee. Deputy Sam Evans (Johnny Simmons) investigates the case, but everything changes when Bobby Gaines (Scott), an undercover agent from the state’s task force, arrives. Let’s say that Bobby has his own unique way of extracting information and dealing with lawbreakers. Bobby’s methods make him popular among the members of the community, while it puts him at odds with the more straight-laced Sam, whom he’s paired up with to investigate the murder case.  

Director Michael Diliberti co-wrote the script with JJ Nelson. Diliberti is best known for being the screenwriter for 2011’s 30 Minutes or Less, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride, so that should tell you the type of humor to expect from Bad Man. It’s a conundrum, really, since raunchier comedy finds itself in a strange place in 2025. While something like American Pie had audiences howling in the late ’90s and 2000s, it almost certainly wouldn’t get made today.

How you view that brand of humor should inform how you feel about Bad Man. If you consider it offensive, then this isn’t for you. If you’re able to have a laugh at the stupidity of it all, you’ll have a good time. So, I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Scott knows this genre inside and out, and the role of Bobby serves as a reminder of how good he is when allowed to play this archetypal part. While Bobby isn’t as obnoxious or abrasive as Stifler, he still steals every scene with his antics and outlandish approach to every situation. If Ryan Reynolds ever hangs up the Deadpool costume, Seann William Scott should take it.

Simmons plays the straight shooter to excellent effect in this buddy cop comedy, but the uncontested standout alongside Scott is Chance Perdomo in his final film role before his tragic passing in 2024. Perdomo’s character is a cop named DJ, and the way in which DJ and Bobby interact never fails to prompt a laugh. There’s a specific scene in which DJ tries to act like Bobby in front of a bunch of kids, and even Bobby thinks he’s gone too far. It’s tough to stifle the giggles here.

Bad Man throws a twist into the third act of the film. It’s fine, but Diliberti and Nelson couldn’t leave well enough alone. Their desire to put another twist on top of this ties the story into knots. Plus, the whole desire to make someone say the film’s title is a little cringe. It’s clear that someone watched a Guy Ritchie crime caper and thought they could follow suit, but yeah, it’s too much and ruins the impact.

All in all, Bad Man isn’t, well, bad. As long as you walk into it knowing this is ridiculous and not meant to be taken too seriously, you’ll receive that in the end.

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