Posted: 08/24/2001

Bully

(2001)

by Wayne Case

About this film, the first word that springs to mind is ‘salacious.’

This is the third theatrical film release from director Larry Clark (Kids, Another Day In Paradise). He is consistent. Each of his films have dealt with young (mostly teenaged) characters who are even more amoral than they are attractive. I suspect that it is his intention to outrage and, to varying degrees, he is successful at that. However, he is less successful at delivering good films.

Based on real life events, Bully is fascinating to watch, but if the filmmakers were attempting to make a point, I missed it. Highly questionable behavior is presented in a rather flat and matter-of-fact manner, which is this director’s style and gimmick. Here, a group of contemporary South Florida high school students get tired of the treatment that they have been receiving from a classmate, friend and bully, Bobby (Nick Stahl), and, on what is basically a whim, beat and stab him to death at the edge of a swamp. As presented in the film, although the actual act is not spontaneous, they don’t really plan the killing and don’t give the likely consequences a thought until after Bobby is dead. These kids are depicted here as having no supervision, no responsibilities, but lots of money and free time. Even though they are constantly drugged-out or drunk, they seem to have no trouble maintaining active sex lives. You’d think that someone (parents, teachers, cops?) would have noticed, but evidently not. Frankly, although Bobby earns the epitaph “bully,” his behavior seems to have been accepted by those he inflicted it upon, and the film suggested to me that they encouraged or enjoyed the abuse. Either that, or they were too zonked to notice.

Given the facts of the real life situation, as I understand them, a good film could have been developed, but that would have necessitated establishing a point of view.

Regarding the cast, think nubile. Given their lifestyle, you’d expect zits, bad teeth or dirty hair. Wrong. They look like they just returned form an expensive spa. Bobby, the “bully,” is well-played by Nick Stahl, even though his physical presence doesn’t really facilitate his character’s actions. I look forward to seeing him in this year’s Sundance Film Festival award winner, In The Bedroom (2001). Rachel Miner, the former Mrs. Macaulay Culkin is effective as Lisa, and Bijou Phillips, daughter of John Phillips (The Mamas And The Papas), convinces as Ali.

The cast standout, however, is Brad Renfro. Not yet twenty years old, this Tennessee native has crammed a lot of living into his years. Discovered by Joel Schumacher for The Client (1994), Brad made a sensational debut as the title character in that excellent adaptation of John Grisham’s popular novel. His performance was on a par with other child actor breakthroughs like Tatum O’Neal (Paper Moon) and Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense). Unfortunately, although he has made quite a few films since, none have come close to The Client in terms of quality. Brad, the person, rather than Brad the actor, probably accounts for this. Rumored to be quite difficult on the set and during production, he has a police rap sheet comparable to the equally talented and troubled Robert Downey, Jr. In my opinion, I thought Bully captured his most interesting performance since The Client, mainly because a sort of goofy, loopy, vagueness surfaced that leads me to suspect that he could do comedy. I’m not sure that this quality was the actor’s or the director’s intention, but it’s there regardless. This performance reminded me a bit of Seann William Scott as Stifler in the American Pie films. I do hope Brad gets his demons under control, because I seriously doubt that he’d be currently insurable for a major role in a big budget film, and that would be a shame.

There are lots of worse films currently out there, and certainly films that are less interesting, but I couldn’t recommend this one for most viewers.

Wayne Case works in the film industry in Hollywood.

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