Self-help author John Farley (Seann William Scott), who built a career on "letting go" of his past, returns to his hometown only to find his mother, Beverly (Susan Sarandon), is engaged to his high school nemesis: the sadistic gym teacher, Mr. Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton) . Farley spends the rest of the film attempting to sabotage the relationship while falling back into his old, bullied habits . image for Mr. Woodcock
is generally regarded by critics as a missed opportunity— a comedy with a solid premise that fails due to a mean-spirited script and inconsistent execution . While Billy Bob Thornton delivers a reliably deadpan performance, the film's reliance on "yuck" over "yuk" humor often leaves audiences feeling more uncomfortable than entertained . Plot Summary Mr. Woodcock(2007)