IMDb RATING
5.4/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
A mind-boggling coincidence leads the filmmaker to track down his fifth grade class and fifth grade teacher to examine their memory of and complicity in a bullying incident 50 years ago.A mind-boggling coincidence leads the filmmaker to track down his fifth grade class and fifth grade teacher to examine their memory of and complicity in a bullying incident 50 years ago.A mind-boggling coincidence leads the filmmaker to track down his fifth grade class and fifth grade teacher to examine their memory of and complicity in a bullying incident 50 years ago.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 3 wins & 7 nominations total
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- Writer
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Contrary to most on this network, I don't think we should only listen the victims. I think that to solve any problem, especially something endless and something that happened to so many, we need to try to understand it as a society.
Now, I have some issues with the tone of this one. The music selected was weird and doesn't seem the right one for the moment. It doesn't seem to take the issue strongly and seriously enough, even if in the end the messages are mostly right. I like what it tries to do and tell, but I have some issues in how it tell us that.
Now, I have some issues with the tone of this one. The music selected was weird and doesn't seem the right one for the moment. It doesn't seem to take the issue strongly and seriously enough, even if in the end the messages are mostly right. I like what it tries to do and tell, but I have some issues in how it tell us that.
"I don't think anyone is going to want to watch your movie because it could be very tedious and boring."
Spot on granny. Spot on.
I like documentaries, but this...why was it made? Because someone had a feeling once.
Spot on granny. Spot on.
I like documentaries, but this...why was it made? Because someone had a feeling once.
This documentary is an affront to victims of bullying and the following explains why: The filmmaker himself is the bully from the past, which would still be okay if he approached the matter in a self-reflective manner. But he doesn't do that, instead he draws an explanation for his actions that could hardly be cheaper and more mendacious. Because towards the end of the short documentary he explains that he does not contact the victim of bullying, as allegedly originally wanted, and ask for an interview, but rather writes a letter. The reason is that he does not want to bring people into a new forced situation and did not want to end up clichéd with the strength of those who lead a successful life despite being bullied. In truth, however, he does not find out what consequences his bullying had on the victim. His letter is the height of spiritual poverty. There he justifies his actions with the pain he had in himself because his brother died in the fourth grade. This pain specifically made him bully and torment this other boy. His reading of these events is that everyone carries pain within themselves and that then connects everyone - including him and his victim of bullying. This is outrageous and rightly provokes anger for viewers. Because it would even be possible that the bullied person also experienced pain from a loss, just not bullying others because of it. The emotional pain of both is just not comparable, because the bully reduces the pain of the bullied to what he did to him. What the bully did, however, he supposedly did out of an equal pain ... and, in the opinion of the poor filmmaker, that connects the two. Aha. In fact, the bully seems to be looking for an excuse for himself. Today, as a grown man, he prefers to talk about his pain and he does this by not only comparing his pain with the pain of his victim, but even equating it. It's disgusting and so weak that looking at it doesn't squeeze your tear gland, but instead the food comes up again.
Self serving, self congratulatory trash. The worst kind of human trauma exploitation. Could this man not have at least read a book about the lasting effects of child abuse? "I guess I'm not as sensitive as I thought..." You have no idea.
Edit: killercola suggested that my review was disingenuous because I was a victim of bullying. Since they are reviewing the reviewers, I feel inclined to comment.
You are damn right I'm angry. But that doesn't make my experience watching this film any less honest. And just because I disagree with point of the film, doesn't mean I don't understand it.
It is shameful that the film maker made a documentary that heavily involved a person, but failed to seek comment from that person. If he was genuinely concerned it would trigger him, he wouldn't release the film without his permission in the first place.
If you feel this is a 9 out of 10, good for you. I'm not going to suggest your experience was dishonest, please lend others the same courtesy.
Original review:
Guy suddenly remembers he bullied someone, and makes the story all about himself, and makes a career from it.
No genuine remorse comes across to me.
Tries to justify his actions, to the point it becomes propaganda... 'boys will be boys'.. 'hardwired to attack the vulnerable'
Plus, so BORING. There's no real insight, and I don't include 'we kids were cruel cos we were kids'.
How it got an Oscar nomination is beyond me.
You are damn right I'm angry. But that doesn't make my experience watching this film any less honest. And just because I disagree with point of the film, doesn't mean I don't understand it.
It is shameful that the film maker made a documentary that heavily involved a person, but failed to seek comment from that person. If he was genuinely concerned it would trigger him, he wouldn't release the film without his permission in the first place.
If you feel this is a 9 out of 10, good for you. I'm not going to suggest your experience was dishonest, please lend others the same courtesy.
Original review:
Guy suddenly remembers he bullied someone, and makes the story all about himself, and makes a career from it.
No genuine remorse comes across to me.
Tries to justify his actions, to the point it becomes propaganda... 'boys will be boys'.. 'hardwired to attack the vulnerable'
Plus, so BORING. There's no real insight, and I don't include 'we kids were cruel cos we were kids'.
How it got an Oscar nomination is beyond me.
Did you know
- Quotes
Jay Rosenblatt: For me the memory was vague; all I knew for sure is that it happened and I participated.
- Crazy creditsThe very end of the credits features more stop motion animation of the Dick photo on the playground as it quickly "walks" off-screen.
- ConnectionsReferences The Smell of Burning Ants (1994)
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Als wir Tyrannen waren
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 36m
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 16 : 9
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