Bully (2001)

The 90's brought us grittier films especially in independent cinema that helped challenge the blandness that Hollywood was putting out with films like Kids which complete shocked me the first time I watched it. The film I chose for today is another one of those films that is just gritty from beginning to end and it's called Bully and it was released in 2001 and was directed by Larry Clark (Kids). The film stars the late Brad Renfro (Apt Pupil) as Marty Puccio, a typical teenager who just seems to make the wrong choices and is a complete pushover. Marty is friends with Bobby Kent (Nick Stahl), a kid who takes advantage of Marty's shortcomings, has some bad intentions himself,  and bullies him to the point that Marty and the rest of his friends plan and try to execute a hit on Bobby Kent to get rid of him permanently. The film also stars Bijou Phillips (Hostel: Part II) as Ali, Rachel Miner (The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations) as Lisa Connelly, Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire) as Donny, Kelli Garner (Lars And The Real Girl) as Heather, Daniel Franzese (I Spit On Your Grave) as Cousin Derek, Leo Fitzpatrick (Bubble Boy) as The Hitman, Ed Amatrudo (The Right Stuff) as Mr. Kent, Elizabeth Dimon (The Mystery Files Of Shelby Woo) as Mrs. Connelly, and Nathalie Paulding (All My Children) as Claudia.

The film is definitely very gritty and it has a real sense to it like it almost feels too real for one's liking. I feel like a lot of Larry Clarke's films explore just how dumb young adults and teenagers can really be and if you never seen Kids then you need to check that out first. Then you can make yourself over to this one and it's just another film about kids not being rational about anything so the first thing they think of is to try and kill a guy. That is the first mistake they make because the second mistake is that involve way too many people in the scenario with the third mistake being that they just can't keep their mouths shut. They sit there and they are told to get their alibis straight, but their they are blabbering to anyone who'll listen to them about how they killed someone. So when I say that a lot of his films are about teenagers making bad choices and just being irrational and stupid then you'll know what I am talking about. The tone and look of the film is just gritty and dirty like you're watching a Dateline special if you get my gist. The acting overall is pretty good by most of the parties involved and there is a crap ton of nudity in this film like they were happy to just be naked and I get it Florida can get very hot and sticky. It's sad to know that Brad Renfro passed away some years after this film because he had a lot of promise, but unfortunately like many others we'll never know what his true potential could have been if he had lived. If you want something gritty then definitely give this one a watch, but for now I am going to give the film an B- for a final grade.