On B List of Movie Reviews
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Bully (2001)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
4/21
4/21:
A big fan of Kids after first seeing it in 1995, I knew what to expect from Bully, but Larry Clark manages
to up the extreme factor by a notch.
It's an accurate story in general of what happened to Bobby Kent in southern Florida during the early 90's. Let's be real:
the guy deserved it. He having been murdered by seven people probably saved dozens of future victims.
To make matters worse, each of the killers was an utter idiot, casually telling everybody what happened not long
afterwards. All were quickly arrested, tried, and sentenced. Some of them are still serving time in prison. It's probably
the easiest murder case these cops have ever come across.
On the same level as River's Edge, Bully lives up to its promise of being raw and unflinching. There are some
disturbing scenes that seem shockingly exploitative, but Larry Clark has a story to tell. Things become more tame
during the second half as hilarity is ratcheted up by the characters showing off their shit-for-brains level of thinking.
The funniest actor has to be Kids' Leo Fitzpatrick who plays Hitman. What a complete fake he is. Calling it the
best work he ever did, Brad Renfro was arrested during the filming for attempting to steal a 45-foot yacht. Nick Stahl plays
a troubled sickie, but it's a great acting job. Michael Pitt is outstanding, so is the rest of the cast.
All in all, anytime you start a Larry Clark film, be prepared for what you're about to see.