I was actually looking forward to seeing this movie because I have a step father who I often feud with. So naturally I was hopping this would cheer me up and get me to laugh. But boy did this movie depress me and boy did it make me angry.<br /><br />First let me go over what I did like about this film before I trash it. It had what could have been a really good and funny plot. Our lead character discovers that the evil gym teacher that tormented him in middle school is now going to marry his mother. Basically think of that teacher from high school or middle school who hated your guts. You didn't do anything he/she just hated you and made it clear. Now imagine if that teacher going to be your new stepfather/stepmother. What do you do? This sounded hysterical and in the films defenses there were a few funny moments. Sadly however those funny moments were all given away in the trailer. This would be the first problem I had with this film. All the parts that come to mind as being the highlights were already spoiled and what's left is okay but not great.<br /><br />However let's talk about the story a little more. As I said before our star use to be stuck with an evil gym teacher who was out to make his life a living hell. Now he's all grown up and has used his experiences with "Mr. Woodcock" to write a self help book. This book becomes a best seller and he now teaches people how to let go of there past. Things are going well until his past come back to hunt him! Now that also could of bin funny. Watching a mans message of letting go of the past get challenge by the bad things that happen to him long ago. Sadly it does not play out well and I will explain later.<br /><br />This Woodcock fellow dose not seem to regret any of the mean things he has done to him. In fact he's very mean to everyone and everything. They made him such a jerk to the point you can't bring your self to like his character. The mom on the other hand seem really nice but one cant help but wonder what is she thinking, is she that desperate? The guy makes very rude and mean spirited comments to her son, even going far to make sex comments about his mother. He treats the people in the town like dirt and everything that comes out of his moth is negativity and insults. Some time his abuse gets physical.<br /><br />So I was starting to think the story was about an evil step father who the son had to save his mother from marrying. After all for some reason he and us the viewer can only see what a bad guy Woodcock really is. But no. By the end of the movie the son must learn to Respect Woodcock and his very abusive ways. So according to the movie women are better off pretending there abusive spouse is a good guy in spite of the fact he treats the world like dirt. For all women can't be happy unless they have a man, even if he is a creep. What kind of message is that to send out! Okay, dose our hero at least manage to persevere his message he has become popular selling? No, by the end he turns back on all of that and decided to take after his mom. Give into stock home syndrome and convinces himself that Woodcock is a good guy. So he finds himself apologizing to an unapologetic abusive jerk. He even declares that all the abuses was good for him. What kind of message are they trying to send out? Well did Woodcock learn any lessons, become sorry for his actions and show off that there is a nice guy in there some ware? As I already said no. They make it very clear he is not sorry for any the things he dose. In the movies Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers, our lead faced a similar problem with his father in law to be. However that worked out on screen much better. Why? Because by the end the Character who was being a jerk learned his lesson and realizes he was in the wrong. Something that never happens here. The best we get is when Woodcock said "I'm "Basically" sorry" to the mom but after the entire movie one cant help but feel more mad then amused.<br /><br />To make things a little worse thing are never resolved. Like there a little romance going on between our star and a girl he knew from his old school but it never went any ware. In fact in one moment our "hero" cames off as a bit of jerk to because it seems he did not care much for her at all. So now our lead character not that likable earthier. Then when it gets to the end the movie feels as if it just stops. No laterally, it feels like it stop in mid-moment and then the credits start. Leaving the movie feeling unfinished and made to quickly.<br /><br />Over all what could of bin a good movie falls apart because things are never resolved, characters are unlikable, and sends out the message that abuse; verbal or physical is cool as long as your mom love him.<br /><br />That Why Mr. Woodcock gets a 3 out of 10.