Review of Hello Herman (2012) by Alex E — 02 Sep 2013

Evocative and viscerally powerful, Michelle Danner's Hello Herman provides a difficult story to tell. Norman Reedus (of the Walking Dead effectively) provides a character with a troubled past, attempting to uncover the reason behind Herman's high school massacre.

Yet, Michelle Danner, a celebrated acting coach in her own rights, portrays within the eponymous character a human complexity that is bound to make audiences uncomfortable. However, that discomfort is essential to the film's intent on providing more sides to the stories of student shootings - or rather, the trials and tribulations that push these student murderers into committing such violent actions.

As it turns out, Herman's own victimization to bullying invoked a violent reaction. People who have been bullied themselves can understand Herman's justification. But as reasonable as it is, the film still communicates the importance of human life and how an unconcerned regard for it is inexcusable - and how such injustice only breeds more unjustifiable actions.