Weil weder die Schule noch sein Vater in der Lage sind, Dannys aggressivem Stören Einhalt zu gebieten, beschließt seine idealistische Privatschullehrerin Maria (Saoirse Ronan), aktiv zu werden. Doch die Aktion eskaliert und endet damit, dass Maria Danny in ihrem Keller einsperrt und ankettet. Dem Klassenfrieden bekommt das zwar sehr gut, aber es zieht eine Reihe ungeahnter Konsequenzen nach sich. Bitterböse Komödie nach einem Roman des schwedischen Autors Rasmus Lindgren.

"The satirical thriller BAD APPLES stars Saoirse Ronan ("Lady Bird", "Little Woman" ) as a primary school teacher forced to take drastic action because of a foul-mouthed, violent student, and uncovers how her community will turn a blind eye to the most outrageous events to preserve harmony and their sense of safety. This audacious and timely film questions the depth of our commitment to widely accepted beliefs.
Swedish-born Etzler — abetted by a stellar cast, led by the fearless Ronan — fuses caustic Nordic humour with genre elements, asking questions, both timeless and timely, and always discomfiting. Just how far (or low) will we go to preserve harmony, and how quickly can our core values be abandoned? Sharp-witted and very funny, BAD APPLES may prove to be one of the year's most talked-about films." Toronto International Film Festival 2025

"Saoirse Ronan delivers a career-best performance as Maria, a desperate teacher employed by a woefully underfunded school, in this jet-black comedy. Newly single, scraping by in a run-down house and constantly undermined by her colleagues, schoolteacher Maria is rapidly approaching breaking point. When an unruly pupil continues to push boundaries – and her patience – a split-second decision sparks a chain of events that raises uncomfortable questions about responsibility, authority and the limits of patience. German director Jonatan Etzler holds a mirror up to the contemporary British school system, hilariously cutting through issues around care and discipline with a some surprising and shocking twists. With an excellent Ronan, supported by a standout cast that includes Jacob Anderson and Rakie Ayola, Bad Apples seamlessly blends satire, suspense and social commentary to ask how far any school would go to maintain an outstanding score from Ofsted." Rogan Graham, BFI London Film Festival 2025