Any time someone comes around that's the least bit different, they make sure to put them down.
Is there anyone who hasn't been the victim of bullying to some degree? Has anyone ever not been pushed and shoved in the
hallway, called derogatory names, punched in the arm, had their lunch money taken by force, been threatened with death, or fallen victim to any
other
number of bullying tactics that are employed not because the victim's asking for them, but because people are just flat-out hateful? Where
does this behavior come from? Is it learned on the streets? Do bullying victims take their own frustrations out on others and perpetuate the cycle?
Is bullying a product of
the
collapse of the classic home? The influence on the street? The images on television? The lyrics in music? The echoes in the school building
hallway? Or is bullying just an innate part of youthful nature? And is justifiable retaliation a form of "bullying" in and of itself? Is the victim kicking
the aggressor
between the legs a bad thing? Was this child justified in fighting back?
Director Lee Hirsch's (himself a victim of bullying)
Bully doesn't really answer these questions, because they are, frankly, questions with arguably no answer or, on the other end of the
argument, a product of "all of the above"
and then some. The truth is the world is a pretty lousy place, that mankind is inherently flawed, and that bullying is probably here to stay, one way
or another (shoot, even the logical, "evolved," and emotionless Vulcan children in Star Trek bullied a young Spock. That's fiction, yes, but the point is
that probably no degree of "utopia" will ever completely solve the problem). But Bully aims to bring to
light the serious problem that is bullying, to make it a subject on which parents, children, and school officials may openly communicate, to elevate it
above the status of "taboo" and, just maybe, show the true, dire, behind-the-scenes consequences of bullying and open up the deep personal effect
it
has on individuals, families, and communities to the entire world.
The face of bullying.
Bully takes a look at five people who have suffered from, or are currently suffering under, bullies. Ty Field-Smalley, from Perkins, Oklahoma,
took his own life at age eleven. He was a good kid, a Cardinals fan, and a very good friend. He and his buddy had a secret spot in the woods and
enjoyed hunting rabbits. Despite a loving family and an unbreakable, powerful friendship, the burden proved too severe for young Ty who left behind
family and friends who would give anything to have done even more. Tyler, of
Murray
County, Georgia, was a happy young child but, as he grew, became more isolated, more quiet, someone who didn't enjoy large crowds, and was
always the last
person picked for pick-up athletic events. He was frequently bullied and was even once told to kill himself, to put an end to his "worthless" life. He
did
just that. Tyler hung himself in his closet and was later discovered by his own parents. His family has repainted his bedroom and repurposed it into
a
"headquarters" for their anti-bullying campaign, "Keeping Tyler's Voice Alive."
Alex, a Sioux City, Iowa resident, was born prematurely. He was given 24 hours to survive; he has outlived those predictions by about 13
years. But now Alex faces another hurdle: bullies. He's about to go back to school. He likes to learn, but he does have trouble making friends and
that leads to bullying. He's
called "fish face;" he's poked, prodded, slapped, and demeaned on the bus and on the playground; and he insists to his parents that he thinks the
bullies are just "messing around." Kelby isn't welcome in all that many places. Kelby lives in the "Bible Belt" of Oklahoma, and she's a lesbian. She
loves
basketball -- and she's so talented she believes she could have gotten a scholarship to play in college -- but is so ridiculed in school that she cannot
join the team. She has a good circle of friends, but they, too, are bullied for even associating with Kelby. She's tried to commit suicide three times.
Ja'meya also loves basketball and is an honors student. She's also been in juvenile detention. The Yazoo County, Mississippi, resident one day
fought back against bullies. She took her mother's handgun onto the bus and confronted them. No shots were fired, and nobody was injured. Now,
she's charged with over twenty
counts each of kidnapping and aggravated assault, just for standing up for herself and turning the tables on her tormentors.
Chances are Bully will have drawn tears within five minutes. It opens powerfully with a worst-case scenario conclusion to one child's life
with the frustration, the pain, and the fear of bullies. The film takes viewers inside homes, classrooms, busses, and the hangouts where bullying is a
very real problem in the physical and the emotional states, where pain lingers inside and out even in the safety of the home environment and
surrounded
by loving and concerned parents, family, and friends. Viewers are shown clips of parent-principal conferences, school board meetings, and rallies all
aimed at bully prevention. But the results are startling: there never seems to be any real solution to the bullying problems. Whispers of "boys
will be boys" and "that's what kids do" haunt every scene. Cameras capture bullying in progress; it's a wonder people can, will, and do behave so
poorly in front of the camera, but it's not just Bully; take a look through YouTube and witness how even the promise of instant and eternal
evidence cannot even keep bullies from harming others anymore; "big brother" isn't the answer and nobody can legislate bad behavior out of
existence. The film is more sobering than it is uplifting; it doesn't find an immediate
answer but it does champion speaking out, standing up, and being counted in the fight against bullies.
Bully features a fair HD video presentation. Much of the image is satisfactorily sharp and clear, revealing good, clean, accurate lines and details
on faces, cinderblock walls in the schools, classroom decorations, and the textures of bus seat coverings. Colors are fairly vibrant and natural, from
various clothes to yellow buses. Black levels are fine, and flesh tones natural. The image does wash out a bit in very bright outdoor scenes. The source
also occasionally reveals some aliasing, a few jagged edges, and some false colors throughout. Regardless of the transfer's strengths and weaknesses,
this isn't the sort of film one watches for Blu-ray eye candy. It looks just fine given the content and filmmaking styles. The problem areas aren't
egregious and they do not interfere with the narrative flow.
Bully features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that's designed to convey basic information and dialogue, not dazzle listeners. Still,
there's good spacing to the track and fine clarity to music. Light surround elements are present in a handful of scenes. Children play in the back, a good
reverberation in a gymnasium helps set that stage, and the rattling and rumbling of a moving bus helps to define that particular environment. Dialogue
is clear
and presented evenly and consistently from the center channel speaker. That's pretty much all there is to this one; it handles its basic elements well
enough and will get listeners through the film with no difficulty.
Bully contains a large assortment of relatively short extras. A DVD copy of the film is also included.
Special Version of Bully Edited For A Younger Audience (HD, Dolby Digital 2.0, 47:11): Unfortunately this cut isn't available on
the included "PG-13" DVD for those who might wish to share or donate the extra copy to other families or schools.
Deleted Scenes (HD, 12:35): Alex Singing at Home, Popularity Scale, Kelby's Last Day at School, A Day Without Bullies, Caine's
Story, and Jake Stands Up.
The Bully Project at Work (HD, 7:17): The story of how Taylor Middle School got involved in The Bully Project's "1 Million Kids"
campaign. The entire school attends a screening of the film, they react to it, and work towards ending bullying in their school.
Alex After Bully (SD, 4:27): A look at Alex's life changes after the film.
Alex's Character Sketch (HD, 1:45): A further look at Alex's life as presented in the film.
Alex Raps (HD, 2:27): Alex raps with Sean Kingston at the NO BULL Teen Video Awards.
Kelby's Original Sketch (HD, 1:26): More from Kelby.
Meryl Streep on Bullying (HD, 2:07): The actress discusses her reaction to the film.
Communities in Motion (HD, 5:16): An animated/live action piece that looks at bully prevention initiatives.
Sioux City After Bully (HD, 6:32): Community members speak after the film, and the piece examines the city's anti-bullying
measures.
Good Morning America (HD, 7:57): Alex and his mother; David Long, father of Tyler; and Director Lee Hirsch discuss the film on national
television.
Kevin Jennings, An Advocate's Perspective (HD, 2:22): The former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education discusses the problem of
bullying.
We Are Daniel Cui (HD, 3:17): A look at a soccer player bullied online for allowing a goal and how his friends helped to put an end to it
and even improve his game in the process.
Bully is more of a "see what's happening" sort of movie meant to bring greater attention to and focus on bullying. Its stories are sad and its
solutions are few, but its victims are
very much likable people; it's too bad their peers cannot see that. No matter how many tears, how many bruises, how many suicides, bullying seems
like
a fact of life that isn't about to go away any time
soon. The film never really champions the oldest solution in the book -- good old-fashioned "eye for an eye" retaliation -- which might not find much
favor in the world as it is right now, but
chances are that Australian kid from the YouTube video linked above doesn't have much of a problem with bullying anymore. That said, there's also a
place for
dialogue and for promoting anti-bullying campaigns, but it's disappointing to see Alex's parents "politicked," as they say, by the assistant principal, to see
the silent shrugs of "nothing can be done" that quietly linger throughout the film. This is an important topic that's addressed in a captivating film. It's
too bad the film is more the fire alarm and less the water hose. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Bully features adequate video and audio along
with a long list of extra content. Recommended.
Anchor Bay Home Entertainment will distribute The Weinstein Company's controversial documentary Bully a.k.a The Bully Project (2011). Directed by Lee Hirsch, the film won Award for Films of Conflict and Resolution at the Hamptons International Film Festival. The ...
