The School for Good and Evil

The School for Good and Evil premieres globally Oct. 19 on Netflix. In 2013, author Soman Chainani released the first book in her revisionist fairy tale ...

In particular, Wylie is the beating heart of the movie who sells both the unfiltered candor of Agatha’s disdain for the shallow motivations of the “Ever” students and her heart-on-her-sleeve support for her tempted friend, Sophie. The School for Good and Evil goes full blockbuster scale in telling the stories of small-town besties – and potential witches – Agatha (Sofia Wylie) and Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso). 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. Clarissa Dovey (Kerry Washington) of the Evers – and the whims of their flighty Schoolmaster (Laurence Fishburne).

Do you recognise Earl Cave from the hit new Netflix film?

She also served as a lesson in how to deal with grieving people – you don’t need to say anything, just do something; make them a cup of tea, cook them dinner." She cooked for us. Earl Cave is the son of singer Nick Cave and his wife, designer Susie Cave. Another fan added: "He looks so much like you :)." MORE: The film follows two friends who find themselves in a mysterious School for Good and Evil, where they meet offspring of the likes of the Wicked Witch, Captain Hook and King Arthurs – but did you know that one of the cast members has very famous parents in real life?

Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie) are best friends and outcasts. Sophie, with her blonde hair and evil stepmother, dreams of escaping her ...

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How does The School for Good and Evil end? Do Sophie and Agatha defeat Rafal? We reveal all with our ending explained article!

The true love’s kiss between Agatha and Sophie opened up a portal that would allow them to go back to their town. Just as the film is about to close, a portal opens up nearby and Tedros’s arrow flies through it, getting lodged in a tree. She then tricks the students from the School for Good into attacking the School for Evil. The deans of the school – now released from the spell that captured them – arrive to see all the students mingling together. Although, they still get teased and taunted by the other kids in town. But Sophie pushes Agatha aside and takes the blow instead. Unable to find her way into the School of Good, Sophie soon begins to make herself at home in the School for Evil, egged on by Rafal and his promises. Agatha and Sophie return home, hand in hand. Read on to find out how The School for Good and Evil ends. The School for Good and Evil follows the story of two young girls, Sophie and Agatha, who are transported from their small medieval town to the fantasy world of the titular school. They kiss and it gives Rafal all the power he’s ever wanted. Ever since then, Rafal has been running the school under the guise of Rhian.

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.

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.

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.

Complications arise when Sophie and Agatha meet Tedros (Jamie Flatters), a fairy tale prince with all the trimmings. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of ...

Before the credits role, we see one of Tedros’ arrows piercing the vortex between worlds with a message: “I need you, Agatha!” Needless to say, though Blanchett still says it, this is “only the beginning” of the story. Or as Rafal puts it, “Welcome to Never After!” Agatha and Tedros show up for the final battle against Rafal, one that ends with Agatha delivering the final blow. With Rafal defeated, the two schools are finally united, allowing Good and Evil to coexist in harmony. [The School For Good and Evil](http://www.tvline.com/tag/the-school-for-good-and-evil) follows two best friends — Sophie ( [Sophia Anne Caruso](http://www.tvline.com/tag/sophia-anne-caruso)) and Agatha ( [Sofia Wylie](http://www.tvline.com/tag/sofia-wylie)) — who are whisked away to the titular institution where fairy tale heroes and villains are made. The schools are plunged into chaos, Sophie and Tedros are punished, and the girls’ friendship is virtually severed. Complications arise when Sophie and Agatha meet Tedros (Jamie Flatters), a fairy tale prince with all the trimmings.

Fear not, theater fans: Patti LuPone says she's leaving Actors Equity, but not the stage, at the "School for Good and Evil" premiere.

I think in the past we've prioritized romantic relationships so much," she says. "I hope that young girls see the importance of friendship. "They've seen the film and they love it." "I'm actually interested in the next chapter," she says. "I think the excitement to share something with my kids. "I just didn't want to be a member of Equity any more," LuPone continues.

The world of fairytale fantasy is going through constant changes to break free from the problematic notions that were once dictated. Netflix's "The School ...

The school went back to the way it was before, and Rafal was furious at the turn of events. Her true love for Sophie and her tears of affection was able to heal her wound, and she came back to life. He and the rest of the men of the school of good went hunting down the students of the school of evil. Just as Tedros’s arrow was able to pierce the vortex separating the two worlds, a dagger landed in the world of Sophie and Agatha. While Sophie expected to be dropped at the school of good since she had always wanted to be someone like Cinderella and she believed in fairy tale endings, she was dropped at the school of evil. The school of evil was created by Rafal, and the school of good was looked after by Rhian. She wanted to unleash chaos, and she had all the power to do so. While Agatha wanted to return home, Sophie wished to belong to the school of good. It is believed that she was taken to the school of good and evil. Since only good could be successful in archery, by hitting the arrow at the mark, Sophie proved to Tedros that she was indeed good. He explained to the girls that there could not be any confusion because Storian had been writing the fairytale of Sophie and Agatha even before they came to the school. The fights between the school of evil and the school of good were clearly silly!

Theron finished off the look with a pair of fishnet stockings and lace floral embroidered boots with black cap toes. The shirt, skirt and boots were all by ...

The film debuted for streaming on Netflix on Oct. Netflix’s “The School for Good and Evil” is based on the popular book series by author Soman Chainani. The shirt, skirt and boots were all by creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for [Dior](https://wwd.com/fashion-news/designer-luxury/dior-thebe-magugu-collab-capsule-charity-theron-1235391133/)‘s [cruise 2023 ](https://wwd.com/runway/resort-2023/paris/christian-dior/review/)collection.

At The School for Good and Evil premiere on Tuesday, Charlize Theron shared a critique her daughters August, 7, and Jackson, 10 have about her character in ...

I always send the final look to my friends." News that [her kids "really liked" the film](https://www.eonline.com/news/1351176/charlize-therons-new-role-scored-her-major-cool-points-with-her-kids-but-they-had-one-complaint) after getting the chance to see it a month ago. "My girls always hate when I get a new look," she said at the time. As Sophie seems to dive deeper into Lady Lesso's world, Agatha begins to worry about the "dangerous evil" at play. "I mean, it was a huge part of why I wanted to do it and they really loved the film. "They're like, 'Mom, can you just be the princess for once?'"

Kerry Washington shows off a brand new bob haircut with bangs at the premiere of her Netflix movie, "The School for Good and Evil."

Patti Lupone, Michelle Yeoh, Cate Blanchett and more also appear in the flick. “This is kinda Dora The Explorer Eleganza Extravaganza,” another said. “The School for Good and Evil,” out now and based on a book of the same name, features Washington as the head of the “good” section of a fantastical school for heroes and villains, with Charlize Theron as her “evil” headmaster counterpart.

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.”

Kerry Washington wore a two-piece Ralph Lauren look to attend the premiere of her new Netflix film 'The School for Good and Evil.

The film debuted on Oct. Her company’s first film was HBO’s “Confirmation,” where she starred as Anita Hill in a docudrama about the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas. Netflix’s “The School for Good and Evil” is based on the popular book series by author Soman Chainani.

Sofia Wylie wore a feathered Nicole and Felicia dress to the premiere of the Netflix's 'The School for Good and Evil' with Kerry Washington, Charlize Theron ...

Theron went with an all-black Dior collared shirt and an open-slit maxiskirt, and “Scandal” alum [Kerry Washington](https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/kerry-washington-the-school-for-good-and-evil-ralph-lauren-1235394404/) looked to Ralph Lauren’s green cropped polo, paired with a ruched, long-trained skirt. Wylie arrived in a [Nicole and Felicia Couture](https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/splurge-or-purge-bridal-brands-adjust-to-a-changing-market-1235382770/) pale yellow gown from the brand’s spring 2022 evening collection. She wore diamond drop earrings and accessorized rings for the star-studded premiere.