"Hitting Good" Not the Same as "It Hurts So Bad"

Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State University's vaunted quarterback, was sacked six times and suffered a bloodied lip in his football team's defeat by the University of Southern California Trojans in Tempe, Arizona. "They came to hit tonight, that is the one thing they do...they hit me, they hit me good."

Rudy used an adjective instead of an adverb. How did the Trojan defensive linemen hit Rudy? They hit him thoroughly, they hit him well, by a big margin. Thus, Rudy should have put it: "They hit me well."

well, adverb: in a good manner or style, rightly, thoroughly; by a favorable margin. (Oxford Mini Dictionary)

Note: well can be an adjective when it means: well-equipped; or a noun when it means in good health, or, happiness and prosperity.

good, adjective: having the right qualities, beneficial, efficient. (Oxford Mini Dictionary)

Also note: good and well use the same forms when used to make comparisons between two things, or among three or more things. See below:

positive comparative superlative
good better best

positive comparative superlative
well better best

Was the "Jane Austen Book Club" Well-Reviewed or Reviewed Well?

Which is proper to say? "The movie was reviewed well? Or, The movie was well-reviewed."

The answer: It depends on your intentions. What do you mean to convey? A friend was puzzled because she thought the answer to be either/or. "

"reviewed well" as in: The Jane Austin Book Club was reviewed well tells us that the reviewer's work was accomplished according to a high standard, "satisfactory in accordance with conduct or action." Oxford English Dictionary. The reviewer may have liked, disliked, or remained neutral to the film, but the subsequent review, good, bad, or neutral was well-written, honest, deliberate. "Well" serves as a simple adverb modifying the verb "reviewed." How was the movie reviewed? Well, accomplished according to a high standard.

"well-reviewed" as in: "The Jane Austen Book Club was well-reviewed" conveys two possible thoughts: Many people reviewed the film, or a reviewer or several liked the movie and are encouraging you to go see it. Well-reviewed, well-received, well-thought, all serve as versions of well-done. All are past participles of the verb serving as adjectives. In the sentence above, "well-reviewed" is a predicate adjective being linked back to the movie, The Jane Austen Book Club. "What kind of Movie" was it? It was a well-reviewed movie. "Well" says it all, or does it. "Well" never means bad; however, is it possible that a controversial movie would cause many subsequent reviews, yes. And that may mean good or bad.