Larry Clark's grubby 2001 drama is a far from perfect work of cinema. Clark's voyeuristic camera seems more concerned with the naked bodies of his female characters than the unfolding story. The story itself, based on a real case from the 1990s, is an intriguing one. Bully follows a group of teenagers as they plot to kill the violent bully and rapist who has been making their lives a misery for years. The scene in which Marty (Brad Renfro) and his friends finally take their brutal revenge on Bobby Kent (Nick Stahl), does not exactly present an opportunity to punch the air in delight. The film does not shy away from the dark, unglamorous ugliness of murder and doesn't give the gang a moment of freedom to revel in their destruction of Bobby. They are instantly in the grip of law enforcement due to their shoddy execution of the crime and end up turning on each other in the aftermath. Bully is a perfect example of how perspective is important in standing up to bullies. These young people pushed their desire for revenge too far and enacted vigilante justice, which proves to be their downfall.
Freelance film journalist and fan of professional wrestling. Usually found in a darkened screening room looking for an aisle seat and telling people to put away their mobile phones. Also known to do a bit of stand-up comedy, so I'm used to the occasional heckle.
