‘Bad Apples’ Takes Classroom Chaos to a Sinister Extreme

What begins as an impossible classroom challenge soon escalates into an increasingly absurd moral nightmare in Bad Apples, the dark comedy thriller starring Saoirse Ronan. After making waves on the festival circuit last year, the acclaimed film is now preparing for its UK and US theatrical release on 18 September.

Directed by Jonatan Etzler in his English-language feature debut, Bad Apples places Ronan in an unconventional role as Maria, a dedicated primary school teacher whose patience is pushed to breaking point by one disruptive pupil. Desperate to regain control of both her classroom and her career, Maria makes a catastrophic decision that spirals into a situation far beyond anything she could have imagined.

According to the official synopsis, Maria accidentally kidnaps the troublesome ten-year-old and keeps him locked inside her home. Rather than exposing the truth, she finds herself trapped by an increasingly bizarre dilemma when the child’s absence transforms the classroom. Academic performance improves, parents are delighted, colleagues praise her work and the success only makes it harder for her to undo what she has done.

The film pairs sharp social satire with escalating tension, exploring how one seemingly impulsive act snowballs into an elaborate web of deception. While its premise borders on outrageous, early critical responses have highlighted the film’s ability to balance uncomfortable humour with suspense.

Jess O’Kane adapted the screenplay from Rasmus Lindgren’s debut novel De Oönskade, with Oskar Pimlott producing for Pulse Films. Alongside Ronan, the cast includes Eddie Waller, Jacob Anderson, Rakie Ayola, Robert Emms, Sean Gilder and Kerry Howard.

Principal photography took place in Bristol during 2024, with cinematography by Nea Asphäll, editing by Robert Krantz and an original score by Chris Roe.

Bad Apples first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025 before earning a place in Official Competition at the BFI London Film Festival. It also received a nomination for the New Directors Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, drawing further attention to Etzler’s feature debut.

Bad Apples opens in UK and US cinemas on 18 September 2026.

Bad Apples trailer

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