This documentary about bullying, mostly in middle schools in middle America, may or may not surprise you, but you will doubtless be moved. One can only guess how the filmmakers could capture such damning behavior on-camera--perhaps the perpetrators really had no idea there's anything wrong with what they did. In any case, we see Alex being taunted and hurt, Tyler's family after his suicide, and other bullying victims and families and friends of victims. There was some controversy over the movie's rating because of the F word in more than one scene. As I understand it, the Weinstein Company was able to bargain with the MPAA (that issues the ratings) and left in one F word scene in which Alex gets taunted, and either removed or edited the other(s).
Director/writer/producer/cinematographer Lee Hirsch actually won more awards for Amandla! A Revolution in Four Part Harmony (2002), which highlights the role of music in the South African struggle against apartheid. I meant to see it but didn't. Hirsch is American through and through -- American activist and spokesman for the under-served. According to his bio on imdb, which he wrote himself, he founded, directed, and produced Local Voices for Obama, in which small town swing state supporters speak about their support of the president.
You should see Bully, and take your middle schoolers if you have any. However, if you are affected by Motion Picture Motion Sickness (MPMS), as I am, I suggest sitting as far back as possible and looking away to the wall or the floor from time to time. There are few scenes shot with a tripod--mostly the camera is bouncing along on someone's shoulder.
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