Charm School (film)
Charm School, also known as Niñas mal or Bad Girls, is a 2007 Mexican coming-of-age comedy directed by Fernando Sariñana. It stars Martha Higareda as Adela, a teenage rebel who gets in trouble with her politician father and is sent to a strict finishing school run by Doña Macarena “Maca” Ribera (Blanca Guerra) to learn manners and responsibility.
At the school, Adela befriends other girls with their own problems: Maribel, who struggles with clumsiness; Valentina, who has conflicts with her family over her sexuality; Heidi, who is engaged to a wealthy man’s son; and Pia, a smart girl who finds dating hard. They study activities like embroidery, cooking, and etiquette, while Adela also forms a connection with a maintenance worker named Emiliano. Over time she begins to take her lessons seriously and grows to care about the people around her.
A high-pressure dinner arranged by Adela’s father brings political tension and Andela’s family secrets to light, challenging the adults’ expectations and the school’s reputation. After finishing the course, the girls pursue their own paths: Heidi reconciles with her fiancé; Maribel starts her own finishing school; Valentina continues her music with her girlfriend; Pia starts a new romance; and Adela leaves for London to study acting. Maca leaves the school to host her own TV program.
Charm School released in Mexico on March 9, 2007. It was a commercial success, grossing about $7.2 million worldwide, though critics gave it mixed reviews. The film was later adapted into a telenovela of the same name, produced by Sony Pictures Television and aired on MTV, with a spin-off announced in 2025.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 11:22 (CET).