I, like tons of 20-somethings trying to relive their youth, picked up KIDS, the first movie from Larry Clark, a director who loves reality to the point of bypassing actual actors for kids on the street in almost every movie he makes. He loves crime and the demeanor of kids in their early stages of understanding society and people around them.
In this movie, which is based off the book by Jim Schutze "Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge," Nick Stahl's creepy role as "Bobby Kent" (portayed beautifully & gritty at the same time) is matched to Brad Renfro's "Marty Puccio," an abused kid who never stops his friend (Kent) from running his actions and life. Because his parents are unwilling to relocate, Marty has to put up with Bobby's actions against him and even values him as a friend of sorts. When two around-the-way girls named Ali and Lisa come into their space (portrayed by Bijou Phillips and Rachel Miner, respectively), the two boys forget their roles of abuser and abusee and transfer their energies into each girl.
Lisa becomes Marty's girlfriend, and though the group's closeness, they invite Ali over to sleep with Bobby. Bobby's persona, being already unbalanced and hostile, acts out on him in this particular scene in which he has rough sex with Ali and basically rapes her. So being the rapist and abuser that these kids know him as, they plot to kill him, but they still have their morals to battle with.
I won't give away the ending (being that I've spoiled basically half the movie), but the feeling of the entire movie is why you watch this. that and the acting was pretty crazy and believable. I loved seeing Leo Fitzpatrick as "the Hit-man" in this film (he was in KIDS in his first role, also directed by Clark). I love, also, how Clark was willing to hire another guy (Daniel Franzese) based on the fact that he loved KIDS and knew KIDS verbatim (even though he explains on the DVD that he could actually deliver a line or two). The rape scene was a little tough to get through, but I, personally, have seen worse (buy "Irreversible"). Also you get really creepy vibes if you've seen KIDS and then watch this because the director loves young-looking nudists in his films. At times, it's artistic, but when you seen Rachel Miner naked for the 10th time in the same film, you start to get the creepy vibes again.
Again, Nick Stahl did a fantastic job, as did Brad Renfro (even if his roles are usually of this difficulty...playing a lobotomized friend). Michael Pitt played the doper-friend (I've liked his acting since "Finding Forrester") who was a major part in this even though you wouldn't think it would be. I liked the playful role of "Heather Swallers," played by a Kelli Garner, who was cast a year later as a "huffer girl" in Todd Luiso's depressing "Love Liza" (so you can see the depth that directors cast he as).
So go out and buy this if you're into cult movies with great directing and acting. Very stylistic and real.
In this movie, which is based off the book by Jim Schutze "Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge," Nick Stahl's creepy role as "Bobby Kent" (portayed beautifully & gritty at the same time) is matched to Brad Renfro's "Marty Puccio," an abused kid who never stops his friend (Kent) from running his actions and life. Because his parents are unwilling to relocate, Marty has to put up with Bobby's actions against him and even values him as a friend of sorts. When two around-the-way girls named Ali and Lisa come into their space (portrayed by Bijou Phillips and Rachel Miner, respectively), the two boys forget their roles of abuser and abusee and transfer their energies into each girl.
Lisa becomes Marty's girlfriend, and though the group's closeness, they invite Ali over to sleep with Bobby. Bobby's persona, being already unbalanced and hostile, acts out on him in this particular scene in which he has rough sex with Ali and basically rapes her. So being the rapist and abuser that these kids know him as, they plot to kill him, but they still have their morals to battle with.
I won't give away the ending (being that I've spoiled basically half the movie), but the feeling of the entire movie is why you watch this. that and the acting was pretty crazy and believable. I loved seeing Leo Fitzpatrick as "the Hit-man" in this film (he was in KIDS in his first role, also directed by Clark). I love, also, how Clark was willing to hire another guy (Daniel Franzese) based on the fact that he loved KIDS and knew KIDS verbatim (even though he explains on the DVD that he could actually deliver a line or two). The rape scene was a little tough to get through, but I, personally, have seen worse (buy "Irreversible"). Also you get really creepy vibes if you've seen KIDS and then watch this because the director loves young-looking nudists in his films. At times, it's artistic, but when you seen Rachel Miner naked for the 10th time in the same film, you start to get the creepy vibes again.
Again, Nick Stahl did a fantastic job, as did Brad Renfro (even if his roles are usually of this difficulty...playing a lobotomized friend). Michael Pitt played the doper-friend (I've liked his acting since "Finding Forrester") who was a major part in this even though you wouldn't think it would be. I liked the playful role of "Heather Swallers," played by a Kelli Garner, who was cast a year later as a "huffer girl" in Todd Luiso's depressing "Love Liza" (so you can see the depth that directors cast he as).
So go out and buy this if you're into cult movies with great directing and acting. Very stylistic and real.