Julian Lytle writes for Punch Drunk Critics....
Bully. It’s a word that’s come up a lot in recent times as
the cause of much trauma and hurt. The Bully has been something that most
people in modern times have had to deal with in some form or another. There has
been a significant push of late to make it the cause of the day. To have people
take notice and end the practice of bullying. The film Bully by Lee Hirsch is probably the most visible and direct thesis
for this cause.
Bully follows three young people, Alex, Ja’Maya, and Kelby
through a year at school. The film also follows two families, The Longs and the
Smalleys as they deal with the aftermath of their children committing suicide
because of the bullying at school. The
film also shows what the schools do and don’t do in regards to how these kids
are treating each other. Each story is pretty shocking in how far this all goes
without any real consequences and parental knowledge.
Hirsch really isn’t shy in what he’s trying to do with this
film. He implants himself in these kids and families’ lives even though you
never see a crew person on screen. The kids in the school don’t really ignore
the camera around them and it doesn’t stop them from doing what they do to each
other. It’s pretty jarring to see this stuff on screen, the cruelty and
violence directed to whom they see is weak.
The film at times does feel a tad bit manipulative but not
to a point of Michael Moore film or An InconvenientTruth. There is no bad guy or villain in this piece. You never hate the
kids doing the bullying but it might leave you wondering what is going on that
it’s gotten to this point. The stories
of the Longs and Smalleys talking about their children in the past tense in testimonials
to camera is pretty heart wrenching. But it shows that they keep on and the
film also shows that at a point the kids do have some silver lining in their
lives. It’s not all doom and gloom.
Now in the end whatever a person’s views on bullying maybe
it is at a point of a zeitgeist in public eye to a point that even the battle
over this film’s rating or non rating became an issue. Unlike what others might
say this film might not be for every kid of any age. It’s a film that is
probably best served shown to junior high or middle school age teens, and
should certainly be shown to school officials all over the country.
Lee Hirsch and his collaborators really made a very good and
thought provoking documentary film. As cliché as that may sound it’s true, it’s
a really well conceived rallying cry of a film. It states its purpose from a
place close to their heart and pushes hard to have things change. Hopefully it
can make the impact that they want it to make.
