re:mote voices

Title: Bully
Cast: Brad Renfro, Bijou Phillips, Rachel Miner, Nick Stahl, Michael Pitt
Director: Larry Clark

larry clark is probably most well known for the controversy surrounding his film kids. though with that, it is a film i have managed to never see, in fact prior to bully the only film i had seen by him was another day in paradise, which had been a little under whelming in my opinion.

bully is based on a true story, though as the disclaimer at the ends says some scenes have been exaggerated for dramatic effect. within that context we are introduced to marty who is something a bastard, the bully of the title. marty claims bobby is his best friend, but treats him like shit - one of the most memorable scenes in their relationship being when marty punches bobby while bobby is driving and bobby just about loses control of the car as a result.

the two have been "friends" for years, but things change with the introduction of ali and lisa. lisa is a quiet girl and falls quickly for bobby - the pair being in love too quickly for the scope of what is shown, but that isn't really important. as their relationship blossoms, marty manages to endear himself further by raping both ali and lisa. the conclusion lisa comes to and persuades everyone else to go along with is that marty must die.

the remainder of the film revolves around lisa and bobby getting a group of friends together and planning marty's murder. how are they going to kill him? how are they going to get rid of the body? there is a certain vicious naivete and determination to their approach. which informs the groups break down after things come to a head. no one really being prepared for what their actions mean.

bully is certainly nastier than another day in paradise, and one gets the impression that clark is taking a step back towards the territory he covered with kids. interpreting a snapshot of an american teen culture, filled with explicit sex and a slacker attitude.