Hello Herman

I think the premise of this film is very intriguing, but I think the execution was flawed. The actors were all very well cast and played their roles brilliantly, but I think the script was a bit shoddy in some places and could have benefited from being longer and fleshing out the characters a bit more- the potential was there but the back stories weren't fully utilized. The story could have done with more development as well- it felt a tad rushed in places.

That being said, I think this film is (sadly) very relevant to the world today. It has an important message that needs to be heard, and so far this is one of the only (if not the only) films that touches on this subject matter. It deserves a wider audience because it really does have a lot to say.

I think the film was well cast, with Norman Reedus and Garret Backstrom giving great performances. They really make you care about their characters, which from the premise of the film clearly isn't the easiest thing to do, but that is really the whole point. The script and the direction could have been better, but overall the film succeeds in doing what it set out to do- make you think.

This is a movie that seems to have tried to be many things and falls short in most of it's objectives. The plot seems ripe for an after school movie of the week but the language is quite adult at times. The focus of the movie seems to wander at times, it feels at times the movie is told all in flashbacks and news reports. It also doesn't help that much of the acting is way over the top to near comedic heights next to Reedus' far more understated performance. Technically, the movie is shot well but most of the crew appear to be mailing it in on this one.

One would be far better served seeking out Bully http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1682181/ or Elephant http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363589/

I am speechless. The film was extremely powerful and touched me right to my core. After watching this film it reminds me of how important it is that we respect and are kind to the people in our lives no matter what role they play in it. I felt very moved and an intense sense of gratitude towards life after this movie. It really makes you assess what is important in life and opens your awareness to what can happen when you forget how precious life is. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who wants to see some phenomenal acting with an amazing story line.

Cheers, Christian

Without a doubt this movie serves the genre of drama pretty well. Norman Reedus and the other actors out perform each other hence the brilliance in each individual performance.

I am such a Norman Reedus fan, so I was very excited to see that he was in a new movie this summer. I may have initially watched Hello Herman out of loyalty to Reedus, but I took away much more than just an increased respect for Reedus as an actor. Michelle Danner blew me away with her exceptional directing that gives us a stark look at the dangers of remaining inactive at quelling violence within our schools and our households. Danner, a renowned Los Angeles acting coach, set out to make this film with endorsements from top Hollywood producers, like Steven Spielberg. From the very beginning it throws you right into the chaos of a town torn apart by the school shootings of a student embittered by perpetual abuse from bullies and personal trauma from home. The film really captures the pain and grief that effects everyone within a town that endures such tragedies. This film will most likely go down as one of the most important and relevant films of 2013