BULLY

Larry Clark burst onto the indie movie scene six years ago with the controversial "Kids’ about a totally amoral group of teens growing up in an urban jungle without role models to guide their troubled lives. They smoke, drink, steal, do drugs and screw their brains out without regard to the consequences. One kid, played with frightening conviction by Leo Fitzpatrick, is out to deflower every virgin he meets. One of his victims, Chloe Sevigny, finds out she has AIDS turning "Kids" into a horror movie of sorts with one of our own making as the monster who spreads the disease. Clark’s lack of budget is compensated by realistic dialogue, gritty locations, and thoroughly believable characters. He shows a generation of kids fending for themselves and leaves it up to the audience to interpret their actions. The same anarchic themes are explored in "Bully" but with an added twist. The movie focuses on the actions of some South Florida high school kids and the events leading up to the real life murder of Bobby Kent (Nick Stahl) by his lifelong friend Marty Puccio (Brad Renfro) in a suburb of Southern Florida in the summer of 1993.

By all outward appearances, Marty and Bobby are the best of friends. They do everything together but their relationship is based on an undercurrent of brutality. Marty is the abused and Bobby is the abuser. What were once love taps - a gentle open handed slap in the face - a swift smack on the back - are now punishing blows. Bobby is a control freak. He shows off his power over Marty by belittling him in public. When Bobby is berated for his treatment of Marty by their growing circle of acquaintances, he begins to strike out at them. The tables finally turn when Lisa (Rachel Miner) falls for Marty and tries to help him get free of Bobby through a haphazard plot to murder him. Some assorted friends are rounded up, a ‘hit man’ (Leo Fitzpatrick) - not much older than themselves - is hired to guide them - and a choice of weapons is discussed, but not before they get to do the same things that the kids of "Kids" did, only the sex is kinkier and more graphic - and - in Bobby Kent’s world, more violent. When Mary, Lisa and their crew eventually get around to the plan, they approach it as if a causal murder is just one more thing to do on a Saturday night. But a dead body is not like one of those video figures in an arcade game that rise up to fight back with the plunk of a few coins in a deposit slot. Later some of the gang go through the motions of feeling guilty but most just have a fear of getting caught. As long as Larry Clark focuses on the kids being kids, no matter how decadent, misguided, or confused, "Bully" is as good as "Kids." But once the plot to make Bobby Kent pay for his sins is set in motion, anything having to do with it strains the movie’s credibility. There is nothing to indicate that these kids are capable of a cold calculated murder. Their talk is typical teen bravado and the action a smooth veneer that covers the weak spots in character development. Only the bottled up rage of Marty Cuccio has the ring of truth. Brad Renfro’s performance is the best thing in the movie. His Marty has a quiet desperation that can only be relieved by getting rid of the cause of his depressive stupor - Bobby Kent. There are some scenes between Bobby and his father that attempt to illuminate the root causes of his behavior. Nick Stahl is given a chance to see how subtle an actor he can be at these moments, but when his Bobby struts across the screen to exert his supremacy over his peers, his performance goes too far over the top. It betrays the innate intelligence of a character too cautious to have witnesses for his unsavory behavior. At best, "Bully" is a mixed bag with laughable scenes that are meant to be shocking and some surprisingly poignant moments that hit their mark.

Copyright 2001

"River’s Edge" (1986) - Dir. Tim Hunter: A real murder case inspired this tale about a bunch of rural kids who don’t know what to do when one of their peers kills a girl from their clique. With Keeanu Reeves, Ione Skye, Crispin Glover, and Dennis Hopper.

"Over the Edge" (1979) - Directed by Johnathan Kaplan with a screenplay by Tim Hunter who went on to direct "River’s Edge." Not unlike "Kids." Matt Dillon made his screen debut as an alienated teen among many who drink, do drugs, tote guns and wreak havoc in a planned suburban community that didn’t plan on them.

"Young Savages" (1961) - Dir. John Frankenheimer: Based on a novel by Evan Hunter.

Burt Lancaster is a D.A. out to get the killers in a teen gang slaying. The ending (which I won’t give away) demonstrates the same power of peer pressure and the law of the streets that can still be found in the stories behind today’s headlines.

"Crime in the Streets" (1956) Dir. Don Siegel: James Whitmore is the social worker trying to make a difference. John Cassavetes is the gang leader who wants to kill somebody. With Sal Mineo and Mark Rydell (who went on to become a top director with movies like "Cowboys" with John Wayne and "The Rose" with Bette Midler).

"Rebel Without a Cause" (1956) - Dir. Nicholas Ray. The James Dean classic about alienation still packs a wallop thanks to the amazing performances of Dean, Sal Mineo, Natalie Wood, Dennis Hopper, Corey Allen, and Jim Backus among others.

"Blackboard Jungle" (1955) - Director Richard Brooks also wrote the screenplay from an Evan Hunter novel: Glen Ford is an idealistic teacher who tries to make his mark in a New York City school. "Rock Around the Clock" set the tone for the movie in the opening credits while Vic Morrow rules over the school with his goons and a switchblade. With Sidney Poitier, Louis Calhern, Richard Kiley, and Paul Mazursky (who went on to become a top director with movies like, "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" and "Bloom in Love.")

"Dead End" - (1937) Dir. William Wyler. Lillian Hellman adapted the Sidney Kingsley

play for this look at slum life in New York City’s tenements. Humphrey Bogart is the gangster who inspires the young hoods of the neighborhood. This movie introduced The Dead End Kids with Billy Halop, Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall and Bobby Jordan - to name a few. Also with Sylvia Sidney, a depression era darling. A classic!

"Wild Boys of the Road" (1933) - Dir. William Wellman: Frankie Darro takes to the rails during the depression to find work or trouble, but mostly trouble during the depression. This film has an amazing finale with hundreds of kids fighting for their lives against the police who are forced to break up their hobo city. One of the great pre-code films of the Depression.. (This one has shown up on the Turner Classics Movie channel).