Review of Bang Bang You're Dead (2003) by Greg W — 29 May 2013

Arguably the most dangerous environment in our young lives and the youth is in the school environment. It's okay if you disagree with me with that bold statement, but hear me out for a moment. The school environment is where bullying can escalate to the lost lives cause by your own peers. Where a reputation hold merits in how other view you even determining how other will interact with you. The one environment where the positives are mostly focused in films, television, and novels frequently ignoring the darker side the school environment can have. That is why Bang Bang You're Dead is an important piece of filmmaking that is contemplative, honest, applicable, and most importantly does not downplay the complexity of it presented issues in it delivery.

Bang Bang You're Dead follows Trevor, a troubled high school student, thanks to the effects of bullying. The plot is the most subjective element of the film. It's one of those how it presented vs. how you actually experienced it that can affect how you see it. If you see it just a piece of fiction it works in all area. The viewer receives a clear and in depth understanding of why Trevor is the way he is. His isolation from every clique, his parents deliberately ignoring his problems, an entire town that views him negatively, and the pivotal element of playing serial killer in a play (same as the film title) reflecting his possible meltdown. These elements make it a dynamic character study. Showing us more than what we simply see on the surface.

The characters themselves are refreshingly realistic. Not a single a character is entirely right or wrong, but presented in shades of gray whether it's from the point of views of bully picking on classmates or parents lack of understanding on how to handle serious issues. It does goes into depth on the topic of accessibility of certain plays, but tackles more opened range issues like the delicate connections of between a community and pushing a breaking point. With current fear of mass school shooting occurring at anytime, the rise of bullying, among other issues it's a thought provoking piece of filmmaking that has become more relevant.

Marc Foster performance is simply amazing. The film just wouldn't be the same without Foster in the lead role gripping the audiences hearts with raw honesty and truth. He underplays more vulnerable side of his role for most of his screen time becoming very effective in one very powerful scene. Mr. Cavanagh gives us a fine performance of what is more or less his TV character, Ed, thrust into the well-meaning and perhaps wiser than the rest of the community, theater teacher who believes in Trevor's fitness for high school. Randy Harrison also does a great job portraying Sean, a fed-up and hurt teen on the brink of becoming a school terrorist. The rest of the supporting cast sell their roles no matter how large or the small the part is.

Bang Bang You're Dead is a profound film tackling issues that are relevant. For isolation, bullying, violence, one's reputation, and so forth is a part of the school environment whether or not you experience them for yourself. It takes a bold piece to showcase the impact the negative side this environment can and does hold upon the youth. I know I come off preachy about the morals it enforces that seem like a no brainer, but in actuality have we learned anything from these events?