Official synopsis: Clara, a brilliant high school senior days away from escaping to Yale, must outwit her malevolent new English teacher when he becomes obsessed with her. As he reveals his sinister past, Clara fights a treacherous battle of wits for survival.
Teacher’s Pet is a serial killer chiller that is well worth a watch. For me, the strongest point of Teacher’s Pet is the acting. Michelle Torian is fantastic as protagonist Clara, a teen girl who grew up in the foster care system who is thriving at a school filled with well-heeled students — until new substitute teacher Mr. Heller (Luke Barnett, who makes for a creepy psychopath here) has his say about her academic performances, that is. Barbara Crampton is always great, and here as Clara’s foster mother Sylvia she gets to show the softer dramatic side of her range more than usual. Writer/director Noam Kroll keeps the suspense well paced.
For all of its positives regarding lead performances and direction, Teacher’s Pet is full of conveniences, easy outs, and underdeveloped concepts. I don’t want to give too much away because of spoilers, but for an example early on, how does a school hire a long-term substitute teacher who viewers can assume didn’t go through a proper credentialing system the day after a full-time teacher supposedly committed suicide? This problem lasted from the beginning through the final scene for me.
Teacher’s Pet can be on the predictable side, and you’ll have to ease up on asking “But why?” questions to avoid frustration, but there’s enough here to enjoy for a serial killer shocker that boasts a villain who is easy to dislike and a protagonist for whom it is easy to root.
Teacher’s Pet screened as part of Popcorn Frights, which ran 8/7–17, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For more information, visit https://popcornfrights.com/.
