Bully (film)

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Bully
Image:Bullyposter.jpg Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Larry Clark
Produced by	Don Murphy
Written by	Jim Schutze (novel) Zachary Lang
Starring	Brad Renfro Rachel Miner Bijou Phillips Nick Stahl Michael Pitt Leo Fitzpatrick Kelli Garner
Editing by	Andrew Hafitz
Distributed by	Lions Gate Films
Release date(s)	July 13, 2001
Running time	Theatrical cut 109 min. Unrated cut 113 min.
Country	Image:Flag of the United States.svg
Language	English
Budget	$21 million
Gross revenue	$510,092
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Bully is a 2001 movie, based on actual events, which stars Brad Renfro, Rachel Miner, Bijou Phillips, Nick Stahl, and Michael Pitt. It was written by Zachary Long (a pseudonym of David McKenna) and Roger Pullis in adaptation from the book Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge (ISBN 0-380-72333-6) by Jim Schutze.

Contents 1 Plot outline 2 Plot 3 Actual events 4 Cast 5 Differences between film and real life 6 Notes 7 External links 7.1 Information on actual participants

[edit] Plot outline

Marty Puccio (Renfro) and his girlfriend Lisa (Miner) plot the murder of Bobby Kent (Stahl), in revenge for the continual abuse and psychological torture that Bobby has inflicted upon them. They are joined by several friends, including Ali Willis (Phillips), who tricks Bobby into thinking they are in a relationship. The entirety of the movie's filming took place during September of 2000 in and around where the actual events took place in Cooper City, Florida. It was directed by Larry Clark, whose other film credits include Kids and Ken Park.

[edit] Plot

In the beginning of the film, Ali Willis (Bijou Phillips) and Lisa Connelly (Rachel Miner) are shown visiting Bobby Kent (Nick Stahl) and Marty Puccio (Brad Renfro) where they work: a sub shop. Their interaction becomes indicative of Bobby's abuse when he slams Marty's head against the refrigerator in full view of the girls. Marty, Bobby, Ali, and Lisa all go out in Bobby's Camaro on a double date that ends in sex. Lisa and Marty form a relationship and Lisa confesses that she 'loves him and would do anything for him'. Lisa takes a pregnancy test and learns she is pregnant - most likely with Marty's child. Although prior to this, she may have been raped by Bobby after he assaults her with a belt and punches Marty into submission. As the movie progresses Bobby's sadistic personality gets worse and worse, culminating in a graphic scene where he rapes Ali while watching gay pornography. As his sadistic behavior continues, Lisa gets angered and, in defense of her boyfriend, Marty - who is the victim of much of Bobby's torment - plans to murder him. After much drug use and a failed attempt at murder (which ends in more sex on the hood of a car) a supposed hitman, played by Leo Fitzpatrick (although as the film progresses it becomes comically apparent that the "hitman" is just a tough-talking adolescent) is hired. Initially, much of the group dismisses it as a lark while some maintain their reservations. However, the illusion melts away when the group realizes what they're about to do. This specifically happens when they lure Bobby out to a nearby swamp and in quick fashion, Bobby is attacked with knives. While Marty isn't the first to stab Bobby, which is done by Donny (Michael Pitt), Marty commits the bulk of the assault. Pleading for his life, a shocked Bobby stares at Marty as he slits his throat in cold blood. The hitman finishes everything off by using a baseball bat on Bobby's head and the group tosses his body into the water. It's soon after the brutal killing, they drive to a beach to formulate their alibis. After the brutal murder, the six accomplices unravel leading to a police arrest several days later. At the end of the film subtitles show the prison sentences each of the teenagers received. Many were given life sentences, and Marty Puccio was put on death row (later overturned to a life sentence).

One of the main elements of the film is the love triangle that develops between Marty, Lisa, and "the Bully". The six main characters have quirks, ranging from Bobby's infatuation with gay pornography to Ali's addiction to kinky sex. The lack of parental control was also a main focus of the film prompting the tagline "Where were the parents?"

[edit] Actual events

The movie is based on the 1993 murder of Bobby Kent in Cooper City, a suburb south of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Marty Puccio (Renfro), Alice Willis (Phillips), Lisa Connelly (Miner), and others are the real life counterparts of the characters in the film. Many of the teenagers depicted in the book and film are still serving prison sentences. The book Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge was released in 1998.

The actual co-perpetrators of the murder were convicted and sentenced as follows: (1) Heather Swallers, second-degree murder and conspiracy (seven years imprisonment); (2) Derek Dzvirko, second-degree murder and conspiracy (eleven years imprisonment); (3) Alice Willis, second-degree murder and conspiracy (forty years imprisonment); (4) Donald Semenec, second-degree murder and conspiracy (life and fifteen years imprisonment); (5) Derek Kaufman, first-degree murder and conspiracy (the jury recommended life and he was sentenced to life and thirty years imprisonment); (6) Lisa Connelly, second-degree murder and conspiracy (life and five years imprisonment, which was reversed on appeal and remanded for imposition of a guidelines sentence).

[edit] Cast

Actor	Role	Real-life counterpart
Brad Renfro	Marty Puccio	Martin Joseph "Marty" Puccio
Rachel Miner	Lisa Connelly	Lisa Marie Connelly
Bijou Phillips	Ali Willis	Alice Jean "Ali" Slay
Nick Stahl	Bobby Kent	Robert "Bobby" Kent
Michael Pitt	Donny Semenec	Donald Roth "Donny" Semenec, Jr.
Leo Fitzpatrick	Derek Kaufman (The Hitman)	Derek Leon Kaufman
Kelli Garner	Heather June Swallers	Heather June Swallers
Daniel Franzese	Cousin Derek Dzvirko	Derek George Dzvirko
Nathalie Paulding	Claudia
Jessica Sutta	Blonde
Ed Amatrudo	Fred Kent
Steve Raulerson	Mr. Willis
Judy Clayton	Mrs. Willis
Alan Lilly	Mr. Puccio
Irene B. Colletti	Mrs. Puccio

[edit] Differences between film and real life

• The actual murder took place in 1993, yet the film takes place around the time the film was made (in about 1999 or 2000).
• Three of the actors resemble the characters they are playing: Brad Renfro as Marty Puccio, Daniel Franzese as Derek Dzvirko, and Michael Pitt as Donny Semenec. The rest of the actors differ somewhat from the people they are portraying. Examples:
  • Nick Stahl's portrayal of Bobby Kent. Stahl stands at 5'10" and is relatively slim. The real Bobby Kent stood at 6'4", and was muscular[1]
  • Rachel Miner's portrayal of Lisa Connelly. Miner is of average weight, pale, and has red hair. The real Lisa Connelly was overweight (213 lbs) and had red/auburn hair.
  • Leo Fitzpatrick's portrayal of Derek Leon Kaufman. Leo Fitzpatrick is 5'9" and has black hair. The real Derek Kaufman was 6'3" and had blonde hair.[2]

[edit] Notes

1. ^  James Berardinelli 2001 A review of Bully

[edit] External links

• Bully at the Internet Movie Database
• Bully at All Movie Guide
• Larry Clark's Official Site
• Prison records and photos of the original defendents

[edit] Information on actual participants

• Martin Puccio's Court Casede:Bully – Diese Kids schockten Amerika

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