The School for Good and Evil

In a fairy-tale world, friends Agatha (Wylie) and Sophie (Caruso) find themselves in the School For Good And Evil. Long accused of being a witch, ...

Some of the acting is more befitting of a bad panto. The only identifiable artefact of his filmmaking voice is in his longtime championing of women, in his centring of female characters. [Bridesmaids](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/bridesmaids-review/) and [Spy](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/spy-2-review/), he is responsible for some of the sharpest, funniest cinematic comedies of the past decade. (Yes, we remember the Fellowship prologue too!) From there, we are welcomed to an entirely binary dual school of good guys and bad guys; essentially a fantasy take on high-school jocks versus goths. Literally thrown into this mix are Agatha (Sofia Wylie) and Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso), accidentally sent into the wrong schools where they must, with excruciating slowness, learn thunderingly obvious lessons about meeting each other in the middle. It makes perfect sense, then, that Netflix — who have cornered the teen market in recent years — might want to adapt The School For Good And Evil, the hugely popular YA book series by Soman Chainani.

The whole idea derives from a book series by Soman Chainani, though it's obvious where it really comes from: the imagination of J.K. Rowling, who must be ...

Chainani suggests that all the heroes of literature, from Cinderella to Aladdin, studied here, but it’s no place for readers. “Princess-haired” Sophie (stage prodigy Sophia Anne Caruso of “Beetlejuice”) is tired of such mistreatment, so she makes a wish to be whisked away. [Charlize Theron](https://variety.com/t/charlize-theron/) to play the decked-out divas who oversee the enchanted institution’s two sides.

And it's here that one of the highest billed (and personally, highest anticipated) names dwells as Sophie's evil stepmother: Folks, it's Rachel Bloom. The co- ...

There's Cate Blanchett as the voice of the Storian, recording it all in a giant book, and Mark Heap as the sniveling potions master Professor Manley. In Chainani's narrative, Honora and her best friend, Vanessa, have affections for the same guy, Stefan, who has eyes for Honora. While yes, the film's focus is justifiably on Sophie and Agatha's complicated friendship journey, the cast is as stacked with incredible grown-up stars as a Harry Potter film, with the School of Good run by Professor Dovey (Kerry Washington) while Lady Lesso (Charlize Theron) runs the School of Evil. [Reboot](https://mashable.com/article/reboot-review-hulu), so this was all the time that might have been available. While her friend Agatha (Sofia Wylie) faces abuse and persecution from the community, Sophie deals with it in her own home like the heroine of the European folk tale. "It was supposed to go in the stew!"

Paul Feig's adaptation of Soman Chainani's beloved YA novels is another VFX-powered fantasy epic from Netflix.

[Snow White And The Huntsman](https://www.avclub.com/film/reviews/snow-white-and-the-huntsman-2012), there’s a missed opportunity here, perhaps to sink her teeth into what should be the campiest of characters. [The School For Good And Evil](https://www.avclub.com/film/reviews/the-school-for-good-and-evil-2022), fantasy-powered fluff for the whole family that’s positively swimming in CGI. Dumb jock and son of King Arthur, Tedros (Jamie Flatters), wields Excalibur to such dazzling effect that he tempts both Sophie and Agatha into, you guessed it again, a love triangle. Wylie makes for a suitable audience stand-in (too convincingly, in fact, as her skepticism often points out the ridiculousness of this segregated school’s very premise), and looks gorgeous in Renee Ehrlich Kalfus’ costumes, which are eye-popping fun. [Shadow And Bone](https://www.avclub.com/netflix-s-shadow-and-bone-will-enfold-viewers-in-its-lu-1846738631)), Good And Evil immediately feels both rushed to check every major plot point off its list, and obligated to explain and re-explain those points. Dreaming of escaping her narrow-minded village and wearing princess gowns, Sophie writes a letter seeking admission to the fabled School for Good and Evil, from which it turns out all fairy tale characters graduate and protect the world’s balance of, you guessed it, good and evil.

Find out which actors were cast as heroes or villains in the dramatic and dreamy book adaption. school-for-good-and-evil-poster-cropped ...

[Laurence Fishburne](https://collider.com/tag/laurence-fishburne/) as the School Master [Michelle Yeoh](https://collider.com/tag/michelle-yeoh/) as Professor Anemone [Matrix](https://collider.com/tag/the-matrix/) character Morpheus, Laurence Fishburne has been staying quite busy in recent years. [Kit Young](https://collider.com/shadow-and-bone-jesper-kit-young-stunt-training-video/) as Rafal [Earl Cave](https://collider.com/school-for-good-and-evil-cast-earl-cave-netflix/) as Hort [Kerry Washington](https://collider.com/tag/kerry-washington/) as Professor Dovey [multiverse-shattering A24 movie Everything Everywhere All at Once](https://collider.com/tag/everything-everywhere-all-at-once). [Sofia Wylie](https://collider.com/sofia-wylie-interview-high-school-musical-series-disney-plus/) as Agatha [Cate Blanchett](https://collider.com/tag/cate-blanchett/) as the Narrator [Sophia Anne Caruso](https://collider.com/school-for-good-and-evil-clip-charlize-theron-kerry-washington-sophia-anne-caruso-netflix/) as Sophie [presented with a narrating voice](https://collider.com/cate-blanchett-cast-school-for-good-and-evil-paul-feig-netflix/). [Coming to Netflix](https://collider.com/biggest-movies-netflix-is-releasing-this-fall/) this week, this tale of duality and self-discovery is one that fantasy fans and fans of the novel alike can’t wait to be immersed in.

An adaptation of a YA favourite about two opposing fairytale schools is overlong, bland and utterly devoid of magic.

But the deeper purpose here is the straightforward regurgitation of archetypal Potterisms, from the lakeside training sessions to the handsome dining halls to the belief that everyone’s either a friend, rival or crush. Its determination to be like other things leaves the impression of nothing at all. With time and a daunting number of montages scored by such Gen Z-approved artists as Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo, they’ll come to see through the glaringly phony divide laid out for them, mostly by Sophie learning that you can look good and dress in black.

Empty and endless, and too often leaves you wondering what's going on and why we should bother.

And the production design on both sides is enjoyably over-the-top in its contrasting extremes: the School for Good essentially looks like a wedding cake you could live inside, while the School for Evil is like a goth version of Hogwarts. Here, fellow students are whittled down to a single trait, and—as in the Disney “Descendants” movies—most are the offspring of famous cultural figures, like Prince Charming, King Arthur, and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Deauville [Cate Blanchett ](/cast-and-crew/cate-blanchett)as Narrator (voice) But when the bird drops Sophie on the evil side and Agatha on the good side, they figure it must have been a mistake and struggle to switch places. [Soman Chainani](/cast-and-crew/soman-chainani), “The School for Good and Evil” focuses on two extremely different teenage best friends looking out for each other in a harsh, fairy-tale land. The much taller, wild-haired Agatha ( [Sofia Wylie](/cast-and-crew/sofia-wylie)) lives with her mom in a cottage in the forest, where they concoct potions together; she has a hairless cat named Reaper and dresses in all black, so she must be a witch.

Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Michelle Yeoh, Sofia Wylie, and Sophia Anne Caruso lead Paul Feig's adaptation of Soman Chainani's boarding-school ...

Watching both of them evolve into the “good” and “evil” labels they resisted is satisfying, and watching their relationship grow and change is even more compelling. It’s a fairy tale where the witchy outcast girl can be a hero, and the girl who wants to be a princess falls in love with her inner dark side. Agatha is prickly, rude, and defiant, but she’s also one of the few students in the good school who actually cares about other people. But because the lead characters are so multifaceted and their relationship is so compelling, those tropes don’t weigh down the movie. Sophie, meanwhile, is so determined to make something of herself and prove she matters to the world that her ambition clouds her judgment. Fairy tales do tend to boil down to black-and-white thinking, and the main characters — who live in a more nuanced world, but are expected to take on fantasy roles — recognize that there’s something off about that. But much to their dismay, Sophie is tossed into the evil program, while Agatha ends up among the spoiled, glittery princesses of the good one. Designed to fit, then subvert and smash, archetypes, the two leads of The School for Good and Evil and their strong friendship turn the movie from fantastical fun to memorable delight. For instance, while the good-program princesses take lessons in smiling (which Agatha miserably fails), the bad school has an “uglification” class — because of course ugly is “evil,” in fairy-tale logic. But while Netflix’s new movie The School for Good and Evil does indulge all those beloved ideas in ways that might seem familiar, Director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) treats the conventions with love and care, turning the movie into a compelling fantasy adventure. Sophie dreams of a life beyond their tiny hometown, but Agatha just wants to keep her mother and Sophie safe. Everyone calls Agatha a witch, because she’s sullen, she wears ragged, dark clothing, and her mother makes herbal remedies on the side.

Although immersed in fantasy, "The School for Good and Evil" gets lost in a nether realm somewhere between Disney Channel fare like "Descendants" and more ...

Netflix is perhaps to be forgiven for wanting a piece of Disney and Warner Bros.’ action in this fertile genre, with dreams of sequels dancing in its head. There’s plenty of action along the way, as well as more wasted cameos, like Patti LuPone and Michelle Yeoh. Both operate under the oversight of the headmaster (Laurence Fishburne), in a place billed as “where the true story behind every fairy tale begins.”

Paul Feig waves a very attractive wand at Soman Chainani's book for his take on the fairy tale world.

There’s great balance to the whole piece, but the real heart is firmly focused on the friendship between Sophie and Agatha which is what really pushes this through as a memorable and fun watch. Cate Blanchett is also given a purposeful narrator role that is vital to the story and plays into the fairy tale tweaks that work well overall. There’s also no shortage of big sequences and scenarios thrown at us, from magic trials to two balls in each house so The School for Good and Evil never gets boring. In fact, the strongest moments throughout the movie are the smaller ones between Agatha and Sophie, as well as Evers misfit Gregor (Ally Cubb) and the initially haughty but empathetic Tedros. Clarissa Dovey (Kerry Washington) of the Evers – and the whims of their flighty Schoolmaster (Laurence Fishburne). [Harry Potter ](/movies/franchise/harry-potter)series and the musical book by Winnie Holzman for [Wicked](/movies/wicked), The School for Good and Evil explores the black-and-white notions of good and evil under the roof of a magical school that teaches the next generation of both.

The School for Good and Evil is a spellbinding fairy tale driven by strong performances and a heartwarming message.

Yes, there is a Prince Charming (Jamie Flatters), but if you expect him to be the one to save the school, you're underestimating the power of two lifelong friends. Michelle Yeoh is also one of the teachers in the Good school, leading a class on smiling. The world-building within the story is very good, as the story draws the audience into the different sides of the school, and you definitely find the characters you root for and those you kind of want to get their comeuppance. If Agatha's in the School for Good and Sophie's in the School for Evil, that's where they belong. Kerry Washington is so much the blushing, uber-positive Good teacher that she's quite hilarious, and Charlize Theron is perfection as the Evil's head teacher, whose eye rolls at the Evers are fitting, and made her feel like a real teacher in a School for Evil. Agatha, who is branded a witch by almost everyone in their hometown, however, gets dropped at the School for Good, and Sophie, at the School for Evil.

It isn't going to get points for originality to be sure, but The School For Good and Evil is a fun cross of Harry Potter and Wicked.

Complicating matters for both, but especially Sophia, is the truly evil force of Rafal (Kit Young), who was one half of a pair of brothers in the legend of this place but now clearly has gone into the danger zone and is hellbent on taking Sophie with him. Ally Cubb as Gregor, a pathetically misplaced Ever, is effective as the kid who just can’t fit in anywhere. Now it is a new generation getting an education under the guidance of Lady Lesso (Charlize Theron), who runs the evil side of things known as the Nevers, and Professor Dovey (Kerry Washington), who handles the good side known as the Evers (as in “happily ever after”). Still, Feig is too smart to just play this down the middle, and he lets his actors have a bit of fun in this admitted knockoff of some very successful works that came before it. On the other end of things, Holly Sturton is just fine as lovelorn Beatrix, the princess-in-waiting for Tedros. It isn’t going to get points for originality, to be sure, but long-gestating Netflix film adaptation of the Soman Chainani books The School for Good and Evil is a fun cross of Harry Potter and Wicked.

The Paul Feig-directed adaptation of Soman Chainani's novel stars not one, but two strong young women who must survive in a fairytale world, but unlike other ...

[Maleficent](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/10/8559672/maleficent-mistress-of-evil-movie-review)and [Cruella](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/05/10489973/cruella-movie-origin-story-dalmatians-end-credits), or even in [The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power](https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2021/08/10613773/amazon-the-lord-of-the-rings-first-look-valinor). He made [Hansel and Gretel](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/01/9312595/gretel-hansel-new-movie-original-fairytale-differences)murderers by letting them escape by burning the witch to death, and he orchestrated the death of the Evil Queen in the original [Snow White](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/02/103654/disney-fairy-tale-stories-dark-side#slide-1), who was forced to put on iron-hot shoes and dance until she died. [damsel is not always in distress](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/10/126645/tv-heroines-damsel-in-distress-stereotypes). This is reflected in the growing popularity of villain origin stories — like Disney’s live action films The first break from the expected fairy tale narrative occurs when Sophie and Agatha learn that fairy tales are real and the characters who populate the stories were all educated at the School for Good and Evil (SGE). Instead, The School for Good and Evil goes one step further, not just updating the genre to reflect a modern audience, but also calling out the entire canon of beloved [fairy tales](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2022/02/10806042/non-romantic-platonic-love-meaning)as reductive and harmful. Rafal’s tales have also made Good pompous and proud, filled with certainty that they can only do good because they have been told that they are good. Good, evil, witch, princess, stepmother, and prince charming — these are the archetypes that populate fairy tales. The female students at the School for Good are perfectly coiffed and dressed in pastel-colored gowns. [ruthless nature of classic fairy tales](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/02/103654/disney-fairy-tale-stories-dark-side), which tend to end in pretty brutal deaths for the villains (remember when Maleficent was stabbed through the heart and fell off a cliff in Sleeping Beauty?). At the School for Evil, students are all dark-haired and dressed in black. Students who fail three courses are transformed into magical creatures against their will and forced to serve the school.

There are also some epic actors on board: we're talking Kerry Washington, Charlize Theron and Michelle Yeoh. Still, viewers have taken to socials to share one ...

(both good and evil - well - bad things)." To recap, The School for Good and Evil is set in (you guessed it) a magical school. One viewer praised the Netflix release for its amazing costumes, cast and set, calling out the script, plot and editing in the process.