Bad Apples (2026) Review: Story, Verdict & Where to Watch

A Disturbing Yet Engaging Premise

Jonatan Etzler's 2026 film, “Bad Apples,” takes the viewer into the intensifying world of Maria (Saoirse Ronan) an elementary school teacher pushed to her limits by Danny (Eddie Waller) a profanity-laced, violent student. “Bad Apples” gives the viewer an infuriating yet relatable starting point to an exaggerated, strained teaching scenario. It quickly becomes a case study of social complicity. Maria’s teachings become disrupted by the constant distractions and disruptions of Danny and other students, and she takes it upon herself to attempt to solve this widespread issue. The film takes a comedic yet suspenseful approach in dealing with this situation, in which an educational system, and a greater community, prioritizes and protects a facade of peace and social order over dealing with issues head-on. This approach gives Maria the opportunity to discover how far her community is willing to go to preserve order and a “nice” appearance. The film takes a comedic approach to dealing with social situations, and Maria’s desperate acts, in which things quickly spiral out of control and go from bizarre to dangerous in matter of seconds. Despite the threat of a broken social order, the film takes a suspicious approach to dealing with people’s denial of an already existing, chaotic social order.

Standout Performances and Tonal Tightrope Walk

Critics have praised the film and especially Saoirse Ronan’s performance as Maria. The Washington Post describes Ronan's performance as “terrific,” with Maria depicted in a “state of grace.” reviewers appreciated the subtlety and nuance that Ronan brought to convey the emerging desperation and moral ambiguity in her character. Viewers appreciate how Ronan masterfully portrays the range of emotions from Maria from exasperation to desperation. The child actors play a pivotal role in the film as well. Of particular note are Eddie Waller as the bad apple Danny and Nia Brown as Pauline. Waller has a bold portrayal of a severely disruptive and disturbing child and helps to anchor the dark elements of the film. The relationship between Maria and Danny drives a lot of the film's tension and is one of the most compelling aspects of the film. Director Jonatan Etzler achieves the seemingly impossible by expertly integrating elements of a thriller with a "very, very dark comedy." While some may argue that integrating such contradictory elements of a film creates a "tonal dissonance," achieving this in film, makes the film able to deliver its satirical and dark comments in a powerful and unsettling way.

Unpacking the Charcoal-Black Satire

The film "Bad Apples" is a satire, and a scathing one at that. It cuts through the layers of a fragmented educational system, and the larger community that ignores problems, or deflects, to focus on "optics". The film's "charcoal black" humor is intentionally designed not to make the audience laugh, but to encourage them to see the underlying truths in the absurd, and grotesque, actions depicted on screen. It serves to illustrate a collective "bad apple" syndrome, whereby a community not only ignores, but encourages and supports outrageous behavior, that ultimately results in larger moral and social issues. The beauty of "Bad Apples" is that it shows bad apples are everywhere, and people have a relative moral compass, but will bend in accordance to social and/or moral norms. Of course, the film is not without criticism. Some side characters, particularly adults, are not "handled altogether less believably", so to speak, and can take a viewer out of the film at times. Additionally, some may think the central metaphor of "bad apples" is "overegged." It is possible for the metaphor to feel worn thin and heavy-handed at times. Regardless of the minor critiques, the film ultimately succeeds at digging deep and serving the cynical, and morally grounded, truth, and thus, encourages the audience to see beyond the veil.

Who Should Take a Bite?

Fans of independent comedies should check out "Bad Apples." This film takes a critical look at society, and several uncomfortable truths. It takes a moral gray area approach to storytelling, much like “Fargo” and other modern classics. Not all viewers will be comfortable with this film’s take on social commentary, and will find the values and morals depicted within difficult to grapple with, especially with the level of dark, absurd, and surreal humor that's prevalent. Tonally, I can see where audiences are coming from with their 1-star reviews. That said, for viewers with an appreciation for independent film, challenges to the status quo and approachable edginess, this is absolutely worth your time, and likely one of the better indie films of recent years. It’ll have you questioning your assumptions about what makes a “bad apple” in society. Definitely worth a watch for CocoFlix users.