Dismissed (2017) User Reviews

Quite good, actually.

[bladexz95 · 7/10 · 9 December 2017]

I didn't expect much as this movie was so low on the radar, but man, Dylan really stole the show on this one. He did a great job depicting the ins and outs of a psychopath focused on only one thing. The story has been done, as people have said, but I'd have to say that this is one of the best films that involves students attempting to blackmail a teacher.

I did find it particularly compelling that they portrayed Iago in Lucas, and went so deeply into the metaphorical tendencies that the characters both shared, which makes sense when Lucas attempts to paint Iago in a heroic light rather than the villain he was.

It was a well written script for the most part, with only a couple of downfalls. Predictable, in a sense, but the acting, cinematography and pacing helped fill the gaps.

Kent and Dylan enforce a strong casting in this movie, and the other actors did their jobs well, also. Highly recommend to watch at least once.

Great what you can do with a low budget

[omendata · 7/10 · 25 November 2017]

Just watched The Snowman and Hangman multi million pound thrillers and this beats both of them hands down.

Great acting especially from the two main relatively unknown actors, smart story filmed well and although its not massively original "Apt Pupil" being brought to mind it does what it does well and is well worth a watch if you are looking for a decent thriller.

This is the type of film that proves you don't need a massive budget to make a good film.

One of the better psychopath movies

[antoniokowatsch · 7/10 · 1 December 2017]

This movie tells the tale of an overzealous straight A student (Lucas) and a teacher with a conviction to do the right thing. Lucas is pretty much the antithesis of an hero. He is driven by a desire for excellence but is ultimately flawed in character due to his unwillingness to accept criticism. This becomes quite apparent in the first act of the movie. As the movie progresses his English teacher grows suspicious because "unlucky incidents" start to happen after a little confrontation takes place. At first his teacher just tries to shrug it off but as the severity of the sabotage increases he grows uneasy about the situation. Wondering how far Lucas might go to get what he wants. As expected things escalate towards the end in a final showdown between the two protagonists.

I personally really liked the movie because it was focusing on a more realistic portrayal of psychopathic behavior. I'm also glad to see that at least 1 of the Sprouse twins is still acting.

Wacko student played by Jughead's twin

[phd_travel · 7/10 · 18 October 2019]

Dylan Sprouse shows some acting chops as the uptight super on the ball student who bonds with his English teacher, joins chess club and is way too intense. When he gets a B plus things start to get nasty.

This thriller is different from the usual glossy Lifetime thriller in its slightly awkward camera work and direction. But the acting and story are quite good and things get quite intense so stay tuned.

Worth a watch.

Great movie that could be better

[snowhunterx · 7/10 · 23 February 2018]

As an avid lover of crime and thriller stories, I was thrilled and intrigued by the storyline when I first watched the trailer. When I watched the actual movie, the movie plot portrayed an interesting build up and really got me wondering what the antagonist is capable of doing. Unfortunately, towards the end of the movie, the quality of the storyline plummeted and the movie ending in abrupt and perfunctory manner. I personally feel that its a pity such a good story plot ended in such a mediocre ending but having said that, I would still give the producer and the actors credit as they have indeed done a great job. For those watching it, you would be in for a thrilling treat.

Huge potential, slight let down.

[OlliFrancis · 5/10 · 23 January 2018]

I find it infuriating when a character makes weak and unrealistic decisions in order for there to be a plot. This to me is a sign of bad writing. Also the casting of the teacher - I feel - was bad. As excited as I was to see Dylan Sprouse in a new film, I was disappointed that the other lead character in this film (the teacher) seemed to drag it down. The acting is great from Dylan and I hope to see him in more movies soon. Hopefully ones that give him more opportunity to show his talents. I just can't get past the weakness of the teacher and dumbness of some of the supporting characters. It was a tad cheesy, but not one of the worst films I've seen at all.

Predictable but enjoyable nonetheless

[aprilsfriendorin · 6/10 · 15 October 2018]

Out of all the suspenseful TV movies out there, this is probably one of the better ones I've seen. The camera work is a little shaky at times, but the acting is good and the plot is intriguing enough. Give it a shot.

Mediocre at best, but could have smashed it given more time.

[chiggypig · 3/10 · 3 January 2019]

Great idea, poorly executed. To think that no one believes a word the teacher says is, in is self ridiculous and only gets worse. This film is so rushed, it needed time to build, but instead they rush to the end without any real character building. The poor acting I can forgive, however the director should have asked for a better budget to extend and nurture the background.

Predictable, but better than average thriller...

[stephenw-30180 · 6/10 · 24 November 2017]

I was pleasantly surprised after seeing "Dismissed". During the first 10 or 15 minutes it seemed it would be a little hokey. The film as I stated in my title was a bit predictable and the formula has been used before to one degree or another. However, the pace kept you interested and I felt the acting from the protagonist and antagonist were very good.

Plot is simply about a brilliant but somewhat off student who is transferred to a new school and instantly makes a great impression on his English teacher. Not to divulge any spoilers, I won't give more in depth story line then that but will say there was some smart and relevant story telling here.

The sub plots of the film fit quite nicely into a neat package to Support the main story and there are some harrowing scenes that might surprise you. It was not over the top not is there gratuitous violence. The story was told with realism and was spooky at times.

For a low budget film with essentially unknown actors, I thought it was a film. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a light thriller told well.

88 minutes you won't be disappointed spending.

Meh

[SusanLervold · 4/10 · 27 June 2018]

A completely average psychological thriller in every way. Dylan Sprouse is cute, but not enough to carry the whole movie.

Where was the research? California teachers have great insurance (and family members are all covered), teachers aren't ever just "let go" (there's a very strong teacher's union and something called "due process"), and speaking of: where was the union rep? Come on...half of the women in CA are teachers or public school administrators, and a quarter of the men are. It wouldn't take a deep dive in a research library to find this information out. So lazy.

Even if you can suspend judgment for an hour and a half, don't. This film just isn't good.

Better than Expected

[gabicooper-47100 · 8/10 · 26 November 2017]

This movies description was very vague, so I was hesitant to watch it as it seemed like it would be another cliché movie. To a certain extent, it was, it was predictable at some moments. Ultimately, the acting, especially by Dylan Sprouse, was fantastic. He played a believable deranged character, something very different from what he had done in the past and has now made a great return to acting. The movie was overall quite entertaining and highly interesting as a thriller. I encourage people to check it out.

Don't Cut Out on "Dismissed"

[jtncsmistad · 6/10 · 13 May 2018]

What a rewarding little hidden gem "Dismissed" turned out to be. Looking for passable entertainment to bide the better part of two hours, I wound up getting a credible creeper with above average acting. And from really quite unlikely sources.

Kent Osborne is a veteran creative contributor to such super successful animated franchises as "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "Adventure Time". He is excellent here as a mild-mannered high school teacher who is terrorized by a disgruntled student. The unhinged pupil is played by Dylan Sprouse, co-star along with twin brother Cole of the long-running Disney Channel series "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody". Sprouse is convincingly chilling as a cuckoo crazy kid who stops at nothing to haunt the hallowed halls of Harvard.

This one probably shouldn't have been as good as it was. Just goes to show to ya, don't always judge a book by it's cover, nor a flick by it's cast.

One saving grace

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 5/10 · 4 June 2018]

Perhaps I'm overly critical of this film because I'm a retired teacher and school principal.

Story idea and potential -- great. With competent writers and a competent director, this could have been top notch. But instead there are just too many elements of the story that just don't work. The worst ignorance of school policies is when the police officer tells Lucas that he should get a lawyer. No, you don't even have an interview like this without the parent(s) being informed, and you tell such a thing to an adult (the parent(s)) with legal responsibility. And a principal doesn't just expel a student and tell him to go home. That is also worked through with parents. So that's an example of the terrible short cuts this film takes. It comes off as being written by amateurs. But I should also mention virtually all of the scenes between the teacher and his wife. Very poor.

Some complain that the teacher/victim here is boring. A bit. Just what I would expect from a guy who teaches literature to high school students. SO I won't fault Kent Osborne for his acting here. The other actors do their jobs...barely. Adequate at best.

The exception is Dylan Sprouse who plays the psychopathic student. I mentioned the film having one saving grace -- he's that saving grace. I'd never heard of him before, but his performance here knocked my socks off. Creepy to the max.

The other saving grace here...sort of...is that there is some suspense involved. The ending almost seems anticlimactic, however, and you keep wishing for just a little more...and why did it have to be so dark in the room where it all comes down? Didn't the school pay its electric bill?

Average at best...except for the acting by Dylan Sprouse.

Nice guilty pleasure thriller that could've helped itself with a more apt title

[drtturner · 6/10 · 27 December 2017]

This straight to video film has the feel of an artsy, indie film moreso than a TV movie or a major big budget release. I credit the tension of the protagonist and antagonist taking place pretty much in a vacuum and the reoccurring underscore music as creating this smaller film vibe. It mirrors the quiet film Joshua moreso than the jump scared filled, loud Esther. .. I mean Orphan. I actually would say this is 7 out of 10 but gave it a lower score in commemoration of the film's main plot. The villain creates a memorable charter who perfectly combines the ying and yang of masculine yet feminine, disarming yet frosty. At 1 point he sports the Dicaprio hairstyle circa Titanic. Just like we discovered that a little girl can be deadly, the main character here shows that a slim waisted, teen lad is not to be triffled with either. Very clean cut like the leader in the movie The Purge or the rich son in American Horror Story Freak Show. Those types make for great villians. Ask opponents of late Hall of Fame Pro Wrestler Roddy Piper. This movie was a wonderful guilty pleasure.

A very well thought out plot but let down by some acting

[jumpdates · 6/10 · 23 February 2018]

If there is any movie that can be let down by mediocre acting or directing, then this is the one. Aside from Dylan Sprouse who gives an impressive rendition to his character of a social psychopath, the rest of the acting is a big let down. The placid acting of the teacher played by Randall Park is no match for Dylan Sprouse who plays the student with much more credibility of a ruthless sociopath. Many parts of the movie lack the necessary and essential direction that could have made this movie great. For example, the teacher not attempting to protect the family when in danger of such a predator. The movie is only lifted by Dylan Sprouse's screen presence and I can see him to be appearing in bigger movies yet to come.

This movie got on my nerves

[LISA2050 · 4/10 · 5 July 2020]

The acting was very basic. The movie felt rushed. This movie was definitely made for teenagers. Without giving any spoilers, they were unrealistic events that happen towards the end of the movie that had me screaming WTF multiple times.

Not bad at all.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 10 January 2019]

I think classing this in the horror genre is pushing it a bit, it's more in the teen psycho thriller genre, but despite that it's rather a decent watch. I wasn't expecting a great deal to be honest, but rather enjoyed it. I liked the idea behind it, I liked the character of Lucas, and how manipulative he was, and I liked the performances, in particular that of Dylan Sprouse.

If I'm being totally honest, I would have to say I found it a little silly at times, the interaction with Chris, the moment in the science lab, they were some of the more far fetched moments, but in return there were also some very sinister moments, definitely plenty to keep the viewer's attention.

Just goes to show, you can make a decent film, without a massive budget. 6/10

Confused AF (spoilers)

[jasminesalomon · 3/10 · 13 May 2018]

I'm disappointed in this movie, it had a lot of potential. Especially with Dylan's acting! He was the perfect phycho, yet the writers didn't give the viewers any insight about Lucas (Dylan) all we know is that if he doesn't get an A he'll threaten you or kill you. But WHY? The writers main focus for some reason was following the baboon of a teacher around who can't even teach a class for God's sake. Ok we get it, he has a family and he wants to protect them, but what is going on with Lucas. What happen to his mother, why is his father so afraid of him and why haven't any of his teachers from previous schools done anything! So many unanswered questions that would have shaped the movie into something way better! They just left this gaping hole in the story and at the end it just felt unfinished. It's like they glued a couple ideas together and copy pasted from other teacher student movies or books and pasted everything. Nothing made much sense, it was all around a very poorly written plot. And All the side characters where practically useless, especially the principal and the fact that the teacher, Mr. Butler, could barley get words out of him half the time and we had no idea what he was thinking either. Honestly I wouldn't recommend unless you want to view Dylan's acting. The only reason it has 3 stars. Dylan A+ Writer/director F

Not bad at all

[jenny-91399 · 7/10 · 6 February 2019]

I havered a bit on whether to watch this Film or not based on the reviews, but I'm glad I gave it a chance because it's a good film. It's not excellent, but it serves the purpose of being eerie. Dylan Sprouse's acting is superb, he really pulled off the nut job character extremely well. The main character, Mr Butler could have used a bit more edge to him and the actress playing the wife is downright awful at times, but all in all, I was pleased to have watched it. The ending was really good too, it looked like it wouldn't be a great ending, but they pulled it back with the psychopath returning to Mr Butler's house and killing his wife.

If you are looking for something award worthy then this probably isn't for you, but a satisfying watch, it is.

Boring it's so bad....

[herrick416 · 4/10 · 24 November 2018]

Why as many good reviews ? I thought this was a badly done cliché...the acting apart from Lucas the psychopath was made-for-tv but worse in fact. The story briefly believable at first, then unconvincing and then ridiculous. Perfect downward spiral and the ending eh? Some lives lost. Others ruined. Very uplifting. I mean if the teacher turned out to be a real deviant, that might have been the twist this needed to make it worth the time spent. Someone entitled their review "I want my 87 minutes back". That says it all.

A good comeback for Dylan Sprouse

[gaspardlove · 8/10 · 27 November 2017]

This movie deserves to be watched at least once, Dylan Sprouse's acting is on point, he depicts very well the mannerism of a person affected by psychopathy, his gestures, his facial expressions... they all play a key point in this movie where you could imagine his past, his difficult family and read through the lines (and some specific scenes\quotes) what could have been the motive of his actual behavior.

Lucas Ward offers some spooky moments while being manipulative towards hid dad and Becca at the point I seriously questioned myself what brought him to be the person he is today.

Even if the plot is used and overused, I really suggest watching the movie: a good comeback for Dylan Sprouse in the acting world!

Really good story and very well acted.

[bareth-51861 · 7/10 · 10 March 2019]

Dylan Sprouse hits this out of the ball park. He plays the psycho in such a way that I actually felt sorry for him. Best film I have seen this week.

I want my 87 minutes back.

[fukutopia · 2/10 · 22 February 2018]

It's Fear & Swimfan between a teacher & student, but with none of the intensity. Dylan Sprouse is as convincing as a wet dishrag and everyone else is C-team at best.

An ok movie

[buzzunited · 6/10 · 8 January 2019]

5 minutes of suspense at the end not enough to rescue this film

Rating this a 6/10, and I think that is VERY generous.

[kalesherwin · 6/10 · 24 August 2018]

What can I say? If not for the talented Mr. Dylan Sprouse, I would have shut this movie off within the first 5 minutes. However, from his very first scene, I knew I was in for a treat from Mr. Sprouse. Sure, he was a little stilted in the beginning, but he quickly overcame that as the intensity of his character grew.

Now onto the protagonist, Mr. Butler played by Kent Osborne. I think he should stick to creative consulting, because I just don't think acting is his forte. And sadly, this was never more evident than when he was in scenes with Dylan. While I should have been rooting for Mr. Butler, I found myself rooting for Lucas simply because I found the portrayal and characterization of Mr. Butler absolutely boring and lifeless. Why anyone would look to him as a mentor or even as someone who inspires "romantic" feelings (as the character of Becca seemingly felt) is beyond my understanding?

I do think the characterization of Lucas's character was supremely lacking. Why is he the way he is? Did something happen in his childhood? How did his mother die? All these, questions and so little answers. This lack of characterization was a hindrance in understanding the motivation of this character. Yes, I understand he was a perfectionist and demanded as much from himself, but what drove him to the point of murder? However, despite all these holes, like I mentioned before, I give major kudos to Dylan Sprouse, as he made this character his own, and really created a believable performance. I look forward to seeing more from this talented young actor.

I would say, watch it, for Dylan's performance alone. Everything else...meh.