Bully MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +1 Content: -4

[Ed. note: The film was not rated by MPAA, but content would rate at minimum an R if not NC-17.]

On July 14, 1993, Bobby Kents (Nick Stahl) short life finally came to an end. In less than twenty years, he had bullied and tormented so many people in such horrific ways that they ganged up on him and brutally murdered him outside their quiet Florida suburb. BULLY, based on reporter Jim Schutzes book about this true story, tells of the events leading up to Kents murder. Marty Puccio (Brad Renfro) is the main target of Kents bullying ways. But this goes way beyond the common images of intimidation and fighting. Not only does Bobby physically assault Marty, but also uses him in a burgeoning phone sex operation, pawns him off to dance for gay men, and even takes advantage of him sexually. Bobby also rapes and physically assaults the likes of Lisa (Rachel Miner) and Ali (Bijou Phillips). These three form the core of the group that eventually takes Bobbys life. From the director of KIDS, BULLY is a dark, raw look at teenagers and the emptiness in their lives that leads them to such a terrible act.

American teenagers certainly get the short end of the stick in this film. They appear as empty shells of people, without any sense of moral conscience. They regularly participate in drug use and various kinds of sexual behavior. The film chronicles all in graphic detail, with several graphic sex scenes that contain some combination of female breast and male rear nudity. In addition, two rape scenes occur with one female and one male victim. While the male scene is mostly implied, another scene features a pornographic video portraying graphic homosexual sex. Bobbys graphically brutal death sickens and, along with incessant gutter language, pushes BULLY out of play.

Preview Reviewer: John Adair
Distributor: Lions Gate Films, 5750 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 501, Los Angeles, CA 90036