# Bad Man (2025 film)
**Bad Man** is a 2025 American crime comedy film directed by Michael Diliberti, in his feature directorial debut, from a screenplay he wrote with JJ Nelson. Set in the fictional town of Colt Lake, Tennessee, it follows a local deputy whose murder investigation is taken over by a flashy undercover narcotics agent.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bad_man_2025) • [2](https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/reviews/bad-man)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writers | Michael Diliberti (director; co-writer with JJ Nelson)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bad_man_2025) |
| Lead cast | Seann William Scott as Bobby Gaines, Johnny Simmons as Sam Evans, Rob Riggle as Chief Sandy, with Chance Perdomo, Lovi Poe, and Ethan Suplee[3](https://www.thesyndicatefilms.com/bad-man) • [4](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/1267116/bad-man?country=PH) |
| Genre | Action comedy with crime and thriller elements; the BBFC lists it as comedy, crime, drama[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/bad-man-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmxodqy) |
| Release | Limited US theatrical and digital release on September 5, 2025; UK streaming from September 15, 2025[6](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/bad-man/kxOLG3d39xCq2YwO0BgHJ7/where-to-watch/) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30057173/releaseinfo/) |
| Runtime | About 97 to 98 minutes (BBFC home-entertainment version 97m 30s)[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/bad-man-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmxodqy) |
| Reception | 78% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (5 critics) and 4.8/10 on IMDb from about 2,100 users[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bad_man_2025) • [8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30057173/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
In Colt Lake, Tennessee, Deputy Sam Evans tackles a methamphetamine epidemic and is handed a brutal murder case. His position changes when Bobby Gaines, a charismatic undercover agent, arrives, takes control of the investigation, and is hailed as a hero despite Evans's local ties. Evans begins to suspect that Gaines is hiding more than he reveals, and the suspicions unravel a more complex narrative.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bad_man_2025) • [9](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Bad_Man?id=pgCWeNXA_W8.P) The distributor's synopsis describes the story as inspired by a true story, with the state cop and the strait-laced local deputy butting heads as they attempt to solve the murder.[3](https://www.thesyndicatefilms.com/bad-man)
## Production
The film was scheduled to shoot in [Birmingham, Alabama](https://www.edgepedia.org/birmingham-alabama), from December 2023 to January 2024, with Petri Entertainment attached as production company and Thomas Sullivan as casting director.[10](https://www.productionlist.com/production/bad-man) Producers included Shaun Sanghani, Warner Davis, Todd M. Friedman, and Brian Levy.[3](https://www.thesyndicatefilms.com/bad-man) The US distributor was Utopia, with VRC Films also credited; [Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo) lists VRC as the domestic distributor.[3](https://www.thesyndicatefilms.com/bad-man) • [11](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt30057173/credits/)
## Release and ratings
Bad Man opened in a limited US theatrical release and on digital platforms on September 5, 2025.[6](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/bad-man/kxOLG3d39xCq2YwO0BgHJ7/where-to-watch/) In the United Kingdom it was classified by the [British Board of Film Classification](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-board-of-film-classification) on August 6, 2025 for VOD and streaming use, distributed by Vertigo Releasing, with the advice "strong language, sex, sex references"; the BBFC notes flashing images that may affect viewers susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/bad-man-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmxodqy) IMDb lists a UK internet release on September 15, 2025, a Netherlands internet release on October 23, 2025, a Canadian internet release on January 23, 2026, and a German DVD release on February 26, 2026.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30057173/releaseinfo/) In the United States it became available on subscription and ad-supported services including Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, YouTube Free, and Tubi TV, with rentals from $3.99 and digital purchase from $5.00.[6](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/bad-man/kxOLG3d39xCq2YwO0BgHJ7/where-to-watch/)
## Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 78% Tomatometer based on 5 critic reviews, with an audience Popcornmeter score of 78% from more than 100 ratings.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bad_man_2025) IMDb users gave it 4.8 out of 10 from about 2,100 votes.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30057173/) Critics were mixed to positive: Leslie Felperin of *The Guardian* gave it 3/5, calling the ending predictable but "not at all bad for a directorial debut"; Dave Golder of *Radio Times*, also at 3/5, praised its mix of laconic and broader humor and its charismatic performances; M.N. Miller of FandomWire was negative at 4/10, writing that the film coasts on [Seann William Scott](https://www.edgepedia.org/seann-william-scott)'s energy and collapses into a muddled third act.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bad_man_2025) A UK Film Review by critic Chris Olson found [Johnny Simmons](https://www.edgepedia.org/johnny-simmons)'s performance the more compelling of the two leads and noted the film's use of the classic "new sheriff in town" Western format.[2](https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/reviews/bad-man)
## References
1. [Bad Man (2025), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bad_man_2025)
2. [Bad Man review, UK Film Review (Chris Olson, September 4, 2025)](https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/reviews/bad-man)
3. [Bad Man, The Syndicate](https://www.thesyndicatefilms.com/bad-man)
4. [Bad Man (2025), OTTASIA](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/1267116/bad-man?country=PH)
5. [Bad Man, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/bad-man-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmxodqy)
6. [Bad Man (2025) Where to Watch, Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/bad-man/kxOLG3d39xCq2YwO0BgHJ7/where-to-watch/)
7. [Bad Man (2025) Release info, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30057173/releaseinfo/)
8. [Bad Man (2025), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30057173/)
9. [Bad Man, Google Play Movies](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Bad_Man?id=pgCWeNXA_W8.P)
10. [Bad Man, Production List (Film & Television Industry Alliance)](https://www.productionlist.com/production/bad-man)
11. [Bad Man (2025) Credits, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt30057173/credits/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Action and adventure films (individual works) › Action comedies › Action comedies, 2020s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license