BULLY | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"BULLY"
(2012) (Documentary) (PG-13)

QUICK TAKE:: Documentary: A look at bullies and bullying among kids and the effects that has on them and their families.

PLOT:

The documentary explores the problem of bullying among kids, including 12-year-old Iowa boy Alex who's picked on because of the way he looks, and 16-year-old Oklahoma teen Kelby who's been ostracized since coming out as a lesbian.

There's also 14-year-old Ja'Meya who's currently in juvenile detention facing many serious charges for bringing a handgun onto a school bus to deal with those bullying her, and several parents of children who committed suicide to escape their bullying.

Finally, there's assistant principal Kim who alternates between occasionally stepping forward to deal with the issue when not otherwise turning a blind eye toward or diminishing the severity of the bullying at her school.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: It's hard to say. Those who are victims of bullying may or may not, which also holds true for actual bullies. Kids not tremendously affected by the issue will likely skip this, especially once they hear it's a documentary.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: The film initially was rated R for language, and then was released unrated. It's now been slightly edited to a PG-13 for "intense thematic material, disturbing content, and some strong language - all involving kids" (although it still contains enough profanity to warrant an R rating under normal circumstances).

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