Larry Clark
Based on a true story, Larry Clark recreates the life and murder of Bobby Kent in 1993. He was murdered by a group of his own friends, for the violent, sexual or verbal abuse they all suffered, which the film graphically depicts.
The abuse is extensive. Bobby is a manipulative sadist. In the film, he torments his childhood buddy, Marty, repetitively, only to call him his best friends when Marty reacts. Bobby has a habit for raping and sexually abusing the girls in the film, and generally treating people badly.
Marty’s girlfriend, Lisa, proposes to end everyone’s misery by ending Bobby’s life. All so tired of the cruelty they have sufficed, they all agree.
Clark told the Los Angeles Time: "The crux of the story was, these kids couldn't figure out what to do with this bully so they killed him.” With an inability to speak or vent their issues to Bobby, the final solution seems like the only one.
As you can expect with all of Clark’s epics, this film is beautifully shot. But, that doesn’t remove it from the fact that it’s incredibly hard to watch. Especially, given that it’s a true story.
Bully
director LARRY CLARK
year 2001
director of photography STEVE GAINER
cast BRAD RENFRO, BIJOU PHILLIPS, RACHEL MINER, MICHAEL PITT, KELLI GARNER and LEO FITZPATRICK
words PRIYESH PATEL
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