“Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception (by the bully or by others) of an imbalance of physical or social power. This imbalance distinguishes bullying from conflict. Bullying is a subcategory of aggressive behavior characterized by the following three criteria: hostile intent, imbalance of power, and repetition over a period of time. Bullying is the activity of repeated, aggressive behavior intended to hurt another individual, physically, mentally, or emotionally.” – Wikipedia
I attended Mann Junior High School in Lakewood. I took the bus to school each day. My bully got on the bus at the same bus stop. I don’t know why I was his target. I was about his height. Perhaps it was something I said. He kept after me until I agreed to fight him just to get it over with. We fought for about ten minutes after getting off at our stop in Ponders Corner. I got in a couple good licks, but ended up with a loose tooth. I was in the eighth grade. He was in the ninth. I don’t know how old he was, but the next year I was in the ninth grade and he was in the U.S. Navy. I hope they made a man out of him. Obviously, he had issues. Bullies just want their way. Sometimes they grow out of it . . . and sometimes they become ex-presidents.
I recently enjoyed a re-run of the feature film, Bully. Bullies are everywhere . . . still. I had seen the film before, and enjoyed it a second time as well.
Summary: “A coming-of-age comedy about Jimmy (Tucker Albrizzi), a quiet, heavy-set high school kid who is constantly tormented by the resident school bully Miles (Jack DiFalco) and his cronies. After an altercation on his way home from school lands him a chance meeting with teacher Patricia Pinto, former professional boxer “Action” Jackson (Ron Canada) and trainer Manny (Danny Trejo), Jimmy decides to learn how to fight back.”
Although the bullies target Jimmy’s friends, Andy (played by Jay Lee) and Bobby (played by Dino Petrera), Jimmy is the bigger target. His buddies keep telling him to ask punk worshiper Adriana (played by Elanna White) out on a date, she is the one that invites him to a party.
It takes a minor beating by Miles (played by Jack DiFalco) and the rescue by “Action” Jackson to stir Jimmy to action. What’s not to love. Jimmy has encouragement from a new friend, and his parents.
Manny, a boxing trainer (played by Danny Trejo) agrees to help in the conversion of Jimmy from fat and afraid to fight, but getting fitter and brave enough to fight back.
I loved Jimmy’s parents, and his “new” girl friend along with their encouragement and support.
Here is the official trailer – imdb.com/video/vi1981070873/
A reader review:
not a masterpiece of filmmaking
“Its a well used idea, with some well used over the top actors, who draws the line for this treat and retreat film about a bullied teenagers venge to revenge. its an awful mess of filmmaking, they should have made some more takes here and there, just to remove the sound boom shadows here and there, so if your in for silver screen magic than make a halt, its not that. but the bullied wins this test, and as a comedy it will at least feed the taste of somebody out there. the grumpy old man have seen a lot better than this, but the archetype characters , saves the grace.”
The reader review is correct, however we have likable hero characters, opposing those who would belittle and order people around. I forgive all when I see a good story line and likable characters we can cheer for.
I found the video on Prime, but it is also available on Youtube for free as well as IMDB.
“About 60% of elementary students and 40% of secondary students returned to classes sometime this spring, and school counselors are seeing more children in therapy because of bullying.” The problem is always with us. Read more: “Online learning has been tough on children, parents and teachers. But not all kids are happy to be going back to school. They fear they could be punched, kicked, pushed around, made fun of, humiliated, or some combination of the above, by the bullies they may have been able to avoid during the pandemic.” – latimes.com/science/newsletter/2021-06-07/bullying-school-kids-coronavirus-today
