Bully (2001 film)

Bully
Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2001; 25 years ago
Founder	Larry Clark (director)
Headquarters	United States
Products	Crime drama film

Bully is a crime drama film from 2001, directed by Larry Clark and inspired by the 1993 murder of Bobby Kent. The cast includes Brad Renfro, Bijou Phillips, Rachel Miner, Michael Pitt, Leo Fitzpatrick, Daniel Franzese, Kelli Garner, and Nick Stahl. The screenplay, adapted by David McKenna (under the pseudonym Zachary Long) along with Roger Pullis, draws from Jim Schutze's book Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge. It follows a group of teenagers from South Florida who conspire to kill their abusive tormentor, Kent.

Distributed by Lionsgate Films in the United States on July 13, 2001, Bully experienced a limited release in theaters. Critical responses were mixed; some reviewers condemned its explicit portrayal of adolescent sexuality as exploitative, while others commended its unvarnished representation of youth crime. The movie was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 58th Venice International Film Festival, and both Miner and Clark received accolades at the Stockholm Film Festival.

Plot

Ali Willis and Lisa Connelly, both high school dropouts from South Florida, become acquainted with Bobby Kent and Marty Puccio, who work at a deli. The four go on a double date; subsequently, Ali performs oral sex on Bobby while Lisa and Marty engage in intercourse in the backseat. After discovering she is pregnant, Lisa fears the baby may be Bobby's following his rape of her after a violent attack on Marty.

Bobby inflicts emotional and physical abuse on Marty, who endures the mistreatment. Bobby also assaults Ali sexually while forcing her to watch gay pornography. Lisa suspects that Bobby is attracted to Marty, who reveals that the abuse has been ongoing since childhood and involved drug use manipulated by Bobby. At a gay bar, Marty is humiliated when compelled to dance for money under Bobby’s watchful eye.

Lisa suggests killing Bobby. Ali brings in her boyfriend Donny Semenec, a drug user, along with Heather Swallers, recently out of rehab; Lisa recruits her introverted cousin Derek Dzvirko. Their first attempt to kill Bobby with a firearm fails when Lisa hesitates during an encounter in the Everglades. They then enlist Derek Kaufman, an older acquaintance of Ali’s known as a "hitman."

With Kaufman’s assistance, they lure Bobby back to the Everglades. Heather signals Donny, who stabs Bobby in the neck. Ali, Heather, and Dzvirko flee while Lisa watches as Marty and Donny repeatedly stab Bobby before Kaufman finishes him off with a baseball bat. Kaufman forces Dzvirko to help carry the wounded Bobby into the swamp where they expect alligators to consume the body.

Marty realizes he left his diving knife sheath near the canal; the group returns only to find crabs feeding on the corpse. Lisa decides to discard the knife sheath—the sole piece of evidence connecting them to the crime.

Unable to maintain secrecy, Dzvirko and Lisa confess to friends, while Ali anonymously informs the media about Bobby’s death. Lisa learns that Kaufman has been apprehended; eventually all teenagers surrender except Marty, who is arrested later. In court, wearing prison uniforms and with Lisa visibly pregnant, tensions escalate as each denies responsibility.

Title cards disclose their actual sentences: Derek Kaufman, Donny Semenec, and Lisa Connelly received life imprisonment; Ali Willis was sentenced to 40 years; Derek Dzvirko got 11 years; Heather Swallers received seven years; Marty Puccio was sentenced to death, though this was overturned in 1997.

Development

The project was originally slated for production during the mid to late 1990s but experienced postponement after financial backers pulled out in the aftermath of the Columbine shootings. Screenwriter David McKenna highlighted how recent incidents involving school shootings reinforced the script’s pertinence. Director Larry Clark preferred to shoot scenes closely aligned with Schutze's book, incorporating authentic courtroom testimonies and firsthand murder narratives. Clark also restored homosexual undertones that had been removed from earlier script versions, underscoring the intricate character relationships.

Casting

Prior to selecting Brad Renfro for the role of Marty, actors such as Jake Gyllenhaal and Ashton Kutcher were considered. Nick Stahl was cast as Bobby Kent despite initial reservations about his suitability; Clark intended to subvert conventional bully archetypes through his casting decisions. Although Lionsgate Films initially questioned these choices, they eventually endorsed Clark’s direction. Zooey Deschanel was initially cast as Ali Willis but exited due to scheduling conflicts. Leo Fitzpatrick, recognized from Clark’s previous film Kids, landed the part of Derek Kaufman after Jared Leto was also considered. Casting director Carmen Cuba discovered Daniel Franzese at a talent show in Florida; he had no previous screen acting credits.

Clark attributed Bijou Phillips' involvement in the club scene as a factor that helped secure funding despite her limited acting background. Kelli Garner, who portrayed Heather Swallers, negotiated for an enhanced role after impressing Clark with her performance in a short film.

During filming, Franzese later alleged that Phillips subjected him to verbal and physical harassment concerning his sexuality and weight, creating a tense atmosphere that necessitated intervention. Phillips issued a public apology for her conduct, which Franzese accepted.

Filming

Principal photography for Bully commenced on August 21, 2000, in southern Florida, utilizing numerous actual locations connected to the true events. Although initially planned for a 40-day shoot, Lionsgate's budget limitations shortened production to 23 days. The crew faced obstacles including a tight schedule, adverse weather conditions, and various behind-the-scenes difficulties.

Of particular note, the plainclothes officer arresting Marty is Frank Ilarraza, who apprehended the real Marty Puccio in 1993. Several production assistants had attended high school alongside the actual individuals involved in the case. The producers obtained rights to use "Forgot About Dre" due to Eminem’s admiration for Clark’s work.

Release

Bully was originally set for a broad theatrical release; however, plans shifted following executive changes at Lionsgate just three weeks before its debut. Director Clark aimed for an R rating, but the MPAA assigned an NC-17. Consequently, Clark chose to release the film unrated, premiering on July 13, 2001, initially in six theaters before expanding to twenty.

Screenwriter David McKenna disassociated himself from the final version of the film, opting to be credited under the pseudonym "Zachary Long."

Home media

On January 29, 2002, Lionsgate made Bully available on DVD and VHS formats. The movie was later issued on Blu-ray in France by StudioCanal on October 31, 2023. In Australia, Umbrella Entertainment released a limited edition Blu-ray on March 20, 2024, which included a unique booklet and art cards, with only 750 copies produced. Additionally, a standard numbered edition capped at 2,250 units was made available.

Box office

During its opening weekend in the United States, the film earned $47,502 while playing in six theaters. Its total domestic box office revenue reached $881,824. Internationally, it collected approximately $500,000, bringing the global box office total to $1,381,824.

Critical response

The critical reception of Bully was mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 54% approval rating, with critics highlighting that its extended scenes featuring nude teenagers felt more exploitative than authentic. Metacritic assigned the film a score of 45.

Much of the criticism centered on the film’s extended graphic sexual content and nudity, especially involving female actors, which reviewers described as "gratuitous," "voyeuristic," and "prurient." Dennis Harvey of Variety recognized some elements of black comedy but contended that the film leaned heavily on titillation while attempting to deliver social commentary.

Opinions varied regarding the film's purpose. Manohla Dargis from LA Weekly commended Clark’s depiction of aimless youth but pointed out a lack of psychological insight or motivation behind the characters’ violent behavior. In contrast, Rene Rodriguez of the Miami Herald faulted the film for failing to explore its protagonists’ inner worlds despite strong acting performances. He suggested this emotional distance caused some viewers to perceive it as exploitative.

Marjorie Baumgarten of The Austin Chronicle questioned Clark’s intentions due to the explicitness and absence of a clear moral viewpoint. Kim Morgan from The Oregonian characterized it as a clinical study that compels audiences to interpret its ethical ambiguity themselves. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian emphasized the film’s detached and amoral portrayal of disaffected youth within a context lacking responsible adult guidance.

David E. Williams from Film Threat described the movie as bordering on pornographic until its concluding act but praised several key performances. James Mottram of Sight & Sound observed that Clark’s signature vérité style was notably absent compared to his earlier works. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times lauded Clark’s vivid representation of brutal teenage life but felt that the emphasis on sex and nudity detracted from deeper thematic intentions.

Roger Ebert stood out as a strong advocate for the film, awarding it four stars out of four. He applauded its unflinching depiction of youth violence and cruelty, calling it "brilliantly and courageously well-acted." While acknowledging some voyeuristic aspects, Ebert argued that Clark’s personal connection to the subject matter rendered Bully a potent critique of societal neglect and adolescent despair.

Accolades

Award	Year	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
Prism Awards	2002	PRISM Certificate of Merit for Theatrical Feature Film	Bully	Template:Won
Stockholm Film Festival	2001	Best Actress	Rachel Miner	Template:Won
Stockholm Film Festival	2001	Bronze Horse	Larry Clark	Template:Won
Venice Film Festival	2001	Golden Lion	Bully	Template:Nom

Soundtrack

The soundtrack, issued by OCF Entertainment on October 2, 2001, showcases a diverse lineup of artists from hip hop, rock, and electronic music. Standout songs include Dr. Dre's collaboration with Eminem on "Forgot About Dre," Tricky's "Excess," and Cypress Hill's "When the Shit Goes Down."

Track listing

"Intro - Kill the Bully" – Thurston Moore
"Thug Ass Bitch" – Ghetto Inmates
"Last Call" – Ol' Dirty Bastard
"Bottom Feeders" – Smut Peddlers featuring R.A. the Rugged Man
"Suicidal Failure" – Cage
"Blood on My Shirt" – Thurston Moore
"Who Dat" – JT Money featuring Solé
"Joyride" – Bomber
"We About to Get F**k Up" – Tha Dogg Pound
"Shut the F**k up Donny" – Thurston Moore
"Latin Thug" – Sen Dog
"Bury the Evidence" – Tricky
"Jesus" – Bizzy Bone
"Unloved" – Zoe Poledouris
"Song for Shelter" – Fatboy Slim
"Outro - Get Your Story Together" – Thurston Moore

External links